Reports of strikes and demonstrations were pouring in
yesterday as Indonesian workers began to take action against the government’s new
regulation on wages. Under the new regulation the minimum wage will be
determined by a formula based on inflation and economic growth. Trade unions
will no longer be consulted. With current wages less than $300 a month in many regions, this regulation will see workers remain poor, while investors continue to profit.
The unions are planning national strike action tomorrow, 30
October, but strikes and demonstrations were already paralyzing industry
yesterday.
Below are photos and stories of strikes and demonstrations
from yesterday:
Tens of thousands of workers streamed out of factories in
one of Purwakarta’s biggest industrial estates, Kawasan Kota Bukit Indah, in West Java, bringing production to a standstill. In addition to
rejecting the new regulation, workers in Purwakarta are demanding that the current regional minimum
wage of Rp. 2,600,000 a month (~ $260) be increased to above Rp. 3 million (~
$300).
In Karawang, a region also close to Jakarta, production was brought to a halt at the industrial estate KIIC.
In the capital city of Jakarta, workers joined with students in demonstrations outside the State Palace.
The protests continued into the night. These workers
traveled from demonstrations at the State Palace to reclaim the Cawang toll
road.
Further out of Jakarta, in Bogor, workers also took strike action.
And in another part of West Java, Subang
Demonstrations against the regulation have also begun in Yogyakarta
And in the outer islands, including in Batam
And North Sumatra
Workers are preparing for further strike action to demand the wage regulation be repealed.
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