Indonesian workers to stage strikes on Wednesday

Strike plan: Members of the Tangerang Raya Workers Union announce on Monday that they aim to strike in 27 industrial locations in the city. The group is demanding that the government abolish outsourcing, which they consider unfair for workers. (JP/Multa Fidrus)

Thousands of workers in eleven provinces across the country plan to stage massive strikes on Wednesday, demanding the government raise wages and eliminate outsourcing and the current contract-employment system.

The Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (KASBI) announced on Monday that KASBI representatives in Samarinda, East Kalimantan; Batubara in North Sumatra; Palembang and Prabumulih in South Sumatra; Semarang and Surakarta in Central Java, and Yogyakarta would hold simultaneous protests in their regions.

“Labor unions in prominent industrial districts like Bekasi, Cimahi, Indramayu, Karawang and Subang in West Java, Banten, Tangerang and Jakarta will also follow the strikes,” KASBI chairwoman Nining Elitos said in a press release.

Chairman of the Tangerang Raya Workers Union, Poniman, said that at least 100,000 workers would gather at 27 industrial areas in the city, including Balaraja, Batu Ceper, Cikokol, Cimone, Ciputat, Karawaci, Pasar Baru, Poris Plawad and Serpongand.

“We want to deliver an apology [ahead of time] to commuters and residents whose activities might be disrupted by our strikes,” Poniman said. Workers' strikes often cause severe gridlock and traffic diversions in some spots.

“We demand the elimination of outsourcing and we encourage all companies to ditch their contract-based employment systems,” he told The Jakarta Post. (cor/lfr)