Indoleft | Gresik workers threaten to boycott presidential election if demands not met

Home > South-East Asia >> Indoleft

Gresik workers threaten to boycott presidential election if demands not met

VIVA News - May 1, 2014

May Day rally in Jakarta calls for alternative political party – Tribune News. May 1, 2014
Jakarta protesters say presidential hopeful Jokowi doesn't side with workers – Viva News. May 1, 2014
West Papuan students in Bandung use May Day to call for self-determination – Okezone. May 1, 2014
Tangerang workers take 'blood sucking octopus' to State Palace – Liputan6.com. May 1, 2014
Labour groups call for establishment of alternative political party – Tribune News. May 1, 2014

Muhammad Habib – Around 1,000 workers from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) commemorated May Day on Thursday May 1 by blockading the Raya Manyar highway in Gresik city, East Java. The blockade caused hundreds of vehicles to be caught in a traffic jam extending several kilometres.

Carrying posters with their demands, the workers held a convoy led by motorcycles around Gresik city which ending at the regent's office. The workers called on the government to abolish outsourcing, rejected low wages, demanded social security, free education and healthcare.

Action coordinator Hakam said that the road blockade was an expression of their annoyance with the government which they said had failed to bring prosperity to its people, particularly workers. "The SBY-Boediono [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Vice President Boediono] government has failed to bring prosperity to the people. Abolish outsourcing work systems", said Hakam in a speech.

The workers also threatened to boycott the presidential elections on July 9 if their demands were not met. After blockading the highway, the protesters continued their action by conducting a sweep of factories in the Gresik industrial zone looking for workers who were still on the job. (ren)

Source: http://nasional.news.viva.co.id/news/read/501073-tuntutan-tak-dipenuhi--buruh-gresik-ancam-boikot-pilpres.

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft news service.]

See also:

Subscribe to Indoleft

Indoleft is an English-language news service produced by the People's Liberation Party (PPR) and APSN. Postings are translated from Indonesian language news reports, statements and publications not otherwise available in English. If you would like to subscribe free to this service just send a blank message to <indoleft-subscribe@lists.riseup.net> and you will be automatically added to the list (APSN’s news update subscribers automatically receive INDOLEFT).