Avirista Midaada, Malang City – Hundreds of workers in the East Java city of Malang commemorated International Labour Day on May 1.
The workers, who had been gathering at the Malang Kota Baru train station and Malang City Square since 8am, then held a long-march on foot to the Malang Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in front of the Traffic Circle Monument.
The protesters came from several different trade unions including the Malang Indonesian Trade Union (SBI) and the United Indonesian Employees Union (KSPI).
The rally was tightly guarded over by police who deployed 450 officers to secure the roads used by the demonstrators to commemorate May Day.
“We are escorting and guarding the mass action so that it remains orderly”, Malang City municipal police chief Assistant Superintendent Asfuri told Okezone.
During the action the workers demanded the abolition of contract labour and outsourcing systems used by companies, rejected arbitrary sackings and demanded decent wages.
The workers also highlighted the jump in the number of foreign workers (TKA) in Indonesia saying the growth of TKA is forcing Indonesians to compete with foreign workers.
“We are calling on the president and the Labour Ministry to restrict foreign workers”, shouted one of the workers in a speech.
As a result of the demonstration, several lengths of road in front of the Malang City Hall were closed to traffic which was redirected by police.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Aksi May Day, Buruh di Malang Tuntut Pemerintah Batasi Pekerja Asing.]
