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Unions, students, CSOs gear up for protests against omnibus bill on job creation
The March protests could be bigger than the student protests in September 2019, as it would see unions, students and civil society organization rally together on the streets.
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Approximately 100 protesters, comprising members of around 20 labor groups under the alliance of Jakarta Labor Movement, take to the streets of Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta on Jan. 9. (JP/Adrian Wail Akhlas)
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coalition of civil society organizations, major labor unions and student organizations is preparing for street rallies in March to protest against the omnibus bill on job creation.
The planned protest of the 1,028-page draft bill, released by the government on Feb. 12, comes following the withdrawal of some labor unions from a government-formed coordination team consisting of union, business and government representatives.
The unions refused to stay on the team as they want change in the draft bill before it is sent to the House for deliberation. They also believe that the team was made solely to legitimize the bill.
Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, however, stated that the draft from the government was final and the ball was in the House's court now.
Representatives from the Indonesian People’s Faction (FRI), which consists of student organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs) and labor unions that are protesting the bill, said during their visit to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that they saw little hope in lawmakers rejecting the bill. Ikhsan Raharjo, the secretary-general of Sindikasi, a union for media and creative workers, said the group felt it needed to take "extra-parliamentary" measures by taking to the streets in March.
Nine of the 14 unions represented on the team have left it. Among them are the three biggest unions in the country, namely the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), the All-Indonesia Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions (KSBSI).
The other six groups that agreed to leave the coordination team are the Congress of Indonesia Unions Alliance (KASBI), the Indonesia Muslim Workers Confederation (Sarbumusi), the Federation of Chemical and Energy and Mining Workers (FSPKEP-SPSI), the Federation of Metal, Electronic and Machine Workers (FSPLEM-SPSI), the National Workers Union (SPN) and the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI).
