Roundup: Indonesian labors stage protest to demand salary rise, social allowances

Tens of thousands laborers from several labor unions staged protests in front of Indonesian Presidential Palace on Tuesday, demanding salary rise up to 22 percent by next year, reduction of staple foods prices, fuel price, unilateral dismissal by the companies due to economy hardship, health allowances and compensation on retirement period.

Prior to staging the protest, the labors who came wearing uniforms of their respective unions gathered in several locations and marched together towards the palace. They spread banners and chanted their demands to government.

They also voiced their rejection to the incoming of foreign blue collar workers which they said shrinking down the opportunities of locals to work in their own country. "Government must prioritize its own people to get jobs. It must provide employment assurance for the people and addressing workers' basic rights,"Head of Indonesian Labor Union Association (Aspek) Mirah Sumirat said in the protest.

Citing to official data issued by the Central Statistic Bureau (BPS), the nation saw surging number of unemployment rate up to 300,000 people which made the figure stand at 7.45 million people by February this year.

Workers laid off by their employers have reached 26,000 people this year, he cited the data issued by the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.

Mirah called on the government to reduce the fuel and staple food prices so as to secure people's purchasing power.

Similar protests were also conducted in industry-packed areas of Batam in Riau province and Surabaya, East Java province.

Responding to the demands launched by labors, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that government intended to satisfy those demands gradually in the future. "The hope of labors and government was actually the same. We want to Indonesia to advance and prosper, including the labors themselves,"Jusuf Kalla's spokesperson Hussain Abdullah said, quoting the vice president's statement.

Labors and government must stick together and have a supportive atmosphere to carry out efforts to address their communal hope, Husain added. "Government asks laborers to carry out their protects peacefully, abide by regulations required by the authority and security procedures set by the police."

The protest was intensively watched by police that besieged more than 8,500 personnel around the palace and the capital city' s square adjacent to the palace.

Indonesian Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti said that the simultaneous labor protest in Jakarta, Batam and Surabaya were held peacefully as the labors did not do deeds prohibited by the police.

During 10 months holding the presidency, President Widodo has been facing at least six times massive labor protests. Endi