Ridho Danu Prasetyo, Andi Muttya Keteng Pangerang, Jakarta – The Indonesian Workers' Struggle Grand Coalition (KBPBI) has threatened to stage a protest with much larger numbers if the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government do not seriously revise the draft Bill on Labour Protection.
Confederation of All Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPSI) President Andi Gani Nena Wea claimed that the protesters filling the streets of Jakarta today represents only a small fraction of the total labour force.
"Today we the Andi Gani Nena Wea [led] KSPSI [faction] hailing from Jakarta, Tangerang, Depok, Bekasi, and also West Java, represent only 5 percent of our total strength", said Andi Gani at the protest site on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Central Jakarta on Thursday September 24.
Andi Gani warned the government and the House not to treat the formulation of laws affecting workers' livelihoods lightly.
If the proposals from the KBPBI are not accommodated, the labour unions stated they would take to the streets again in early October.
"If the government and the DPR play games, we guarantee we will multiply our strength. We will take to the streets in early October so that the DPR and the government seriously listen to our aspirations", Andi Gani said.
According to Andi Gani, labour representatives will soon hold further negotiations regarding the Labour Protection Bill with the government, DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and all parliamentary factions in the DPR on Friday September 25.
"There are still crucial articles such as wages which we haven't agreed to yet, then apprenticeships we haven't agreed to yet, then outsourcing we haven t agreed to yet", he said.
Therefore, the workers have given the government and the people's representatives a deadline of September 30, 2026, accommodate these issues.
"We've given them until September 30. So the deadline is September 30. If there is no significant progress, we guarantee that 100,000 workers will enter Jakarta safely and peacefully, I guarantee this", he said.
Labour protest demands
Today's labour protest was initiated by the KSPSI faction led by Andi Gani Nena Wea (KSPSI AGN) in collaboration with the KBPBI.
The action began with a mass mobilisation of motorcyclists moving from the Semanggi area in Central Jakarta toward Jalan Jenderal Sudirman and Jalan MH Thamrin, where they gathered right in front of the UOB Plaza Building.
Andi Gani said that the demands cover various aspects, ranging from wages and employment systems to the protection of workers' rights.
"The key points I conveyed, namely the issue of wages, the issue of outsourcing, then social security, then PKWT [temporary work contract], the issue of platform workers, severance pay guarantees. Menstrual leave also and apprenticeships", said Andi Gani during a press conference in South Jakarta on Wednesday September 23.
The following are the workers' demands during today's action:
1. Enact a Labour Protection Law that is pro-worker.
2. Guarantee job security, end the exploitation of outsourcing and contract employment systems, and prevent the misuse of apprenticeship programs.
3. Guarantee workers' rights to decent and dignified wages and abolish specific value-coefficient systems that are unclear.
4. Guarantee and protect platform workers, including media workers, online motorcycle taxi drivers (ojol) and workers affected by the climate transition.
5. Guarantee workers' rights to severance pay.
6. Strengthen trade unions.
7. Make occupational health and safety and worker welfare primary goals of development.
8. Demand sanctions and law enforcement against companies that violate workers' rights.
9. Guarantee protection for female workers and ensure menstrual leave without the requirement of a doctor's note.
10. Provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities at companies.
11. Implement upskilling and reskilling programs for Indonesian workers.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Buruh Ancam Gelar Aksi Lebih Besar jika DPR Tak Perbaiki Draf RUU Perlindungan Ketenagakerjaan".]
