Labors to Go on Massive Strike over Hike in Fuel Prices

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Labor Party President Said Iqbal said labor unions, farmers' unions, and civil organizations planned to go on a massive strike over the government’s plan to hike the price of subsidized fuel, Pertalite and Solar.

The action will also be carried out to reject the discussion of the Omnibus Law or the Job Creation Law which is considered to worsen the situation.

“If fuel prices are forced to increase, the Labor Party together with elements of workers will carry out a massive strike that begins with a demonstration. This will involve tens of thousands of workers throughout Indonesia in early September,” Said announced at an online press conference on Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

According to him, the action will be carried out simultaneously in 34 provinces, rejecting the fuel price hike and the Job Creation Law.

Said explained among the reasons behind the strike. First, he assessed that higher prices of subsidized fuel will sharply increase inflation which could reach 6.5 percent. This will suppress the people’s purchasing power. 

Secondly, workers’ salary is not increased in line with the price hike, which may lead to layoffs. Thirdly, the government should not compare the fuel prices in the country with others without considering the per capita income.

“The Labor Party urges the government to ensure that there is no increase in fuel prices,” Said underlined.

As for the Omnibus Law discussion, he went on, it was rejected because it was clearly conditionally unconstitutional and formally flawed. He argued that the law did not support the hike in labor wages, even up to the next 10 years. “If it increases, it will be only around one percent because Omnibus Law regulates the upper and lower limits,” Said concluded.

MOH. KHORY ALFARIZI

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