TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Hundreds of laborers incorporated in the Federation Of Unions Of Electrical Metal Machine, the Indonesian Labor Union and Bandung Union, staged a massive protest in front of the West Java-Banten National Electricity Company (PLN) building in celebration of International Labor Day today.
"Labor Day [holiday] is not a gift from the government, but the struggle of laborers for many years. Now, let us struggle for the rights of laborers. Happy Labor Day," said the protest coordinator Ajat Sudrajat on Thursday, May 1, 2014.
During the protest, the laborers demanded clarification from PLN concerning the increase of electricity tariffs. They asserted that increasing electricity tariffs threatens the well-being of contract-based laborers.
Laborers also demanded the government to eliminate outsourcing system in addition to a more appropriate wage. Laborers argued that outsourcing system puts laborers in an unclear status while they are being exploited.
Furthermore, laborers also demanded the government to improve the performance of Social Security Organizing Agency (BPJS). According to the laborers, the government are not ready to implement the BPJS program that was started in January 2014.
RISANTI