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Labor protesters demand wage increase, permanent cease-fire in Gaza
The workers were seen wearing uniformed orange-black shirts while waving the Labor Party flags. Later, they went to the US embassy to demand for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
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A Jakarta park agency worker walks on Sept. 4, 2023, near the logo of Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. (Antara/Media Center ASEAN Summit 2023/Dhoni Setiawan)
Labor groups staged protests on Thursday in Jakarta, demanding wage increases and a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
The groups, including the Labor Party, packed the area near the Arjuna Wiwaha Monument, before marching toward the Constitutional Court and the Presidential Palace. They also demanded that the Job Creation Law be repealed.
The workers were seen wearing uniformed orange and black shirts while waving Labor Party flags. Later, they went to the United States embassy to demand a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
“[We] demand the revocation of the Job Creation Law, revision for the governor’s decree on the 2024 minimum wage increase, and a stop to the [ongoing] Israel-Palestine war [with a] permanent cease-fire,” Labor Party chairman Said Iqbal told reporters, as quoted by detiknews.
The workers' first demand to repeal the Job Creation Law was put forth following the Constitutional Court's dismissal of five judicial reviews related to the law, which were petitioned by various labor union representatives.
The protestors also said they were disappointed with the 2024 provincial monthly minimum wage set at Rp 5 million (US$322.95) by the Jakarta administration. They called on governors across Indonesia to reconsider the provincial minimum wage, as the current increase mandated by the government is considered inadequate to meet people’s basic needs.
In front of the US embassy, they demanded a permanent cease-fire for the Israel-Gaza war. In solidarity with the Palestinian people, they waved the Palestinian and Indonesian flags during the march.
“If these demands are not met, we will follow up with a national labor strike participated by five million workers,” Said added, as reported by Kompas.
Led by Said, the Labor Party has been verified among the political parties that will participate in the 2024 general election.
