After holding a meeting with trade union representatives on April 8, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared that the Draft Revision to Law Number 13/2003 on Labour that has already been circulating among the pubic is no longer valid.

After triggering a wave of protests, the government’s version of the draft revision of the labour law has been canceled.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Concerned about their livelihoods that are being ground down by the advanced countries, though policies being driven by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), farmers, workers and fisherpeople are urging the minister of trade, Mari Elka Pengestu, to struggle for and to protect their welfare.

Jakarta – Lively commemorations of May Day on May 1 were celebrated in demonstrations by labour organisations, political parties and other social organisations in a number of parts of the country. The largest demonstrations were held in Jakarta and the West Java provincial capital of Bandung.

Deni Mukbar/Siswanto, Jakarta – May Day was commemorated today by hundreds of workers and mass organisations from Greater Jakarta at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta.

Ahmad Yunus, Bandung – May Day was also commemorated by workers in the West Java provincial of Bandung. Around 3,000 works spilled into the streets of Bandung organising a long-march and convoy.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – Commemorating May Day on May 1, thousands of workers inundated the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta resulting in a massive traffic jam on Jalan Sudirman.

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Around 30 student activists, rural workers and urban-poor activists from the United People’s Alliance (Aliansi Rakyat Bersatu, ARB) are demanding that the government apply the concept of national industrialisation.

Badriah, Jakarta – Workers claim that as a group they are suffering most because of the government’s decision to increase the price of fuel on March 1 which has flowed on to increases in the price of basic goods.

Ahmad Yunus, Bandung – Around 100 women and farmers from the People’s Struggle Front (Front Perjuangan Rakyat) held an action commemorating International Women’s Day. In their action, the demonstrators who originate from Pengalengan in West Java, also opposed fuel price increases.

Jakarta – Around 1,000 workers from scores of different organisations demonstrated in front of the national parliament in Jakarta on Saturday May 1. During the action, the workers shouted and listened to a series of speeches by a number of labour activists.

Istiqomatul Hayati, Jakarta – Thousands of workers came out into the streets to commemorate May Day on Saturday May 1.

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Trade Union Alliance Against Rotten Politicians (Aliansi Serikat Buruh Anti Politisi Busuk) on February 3, 2004. The original statement was untitled and the one used here was the choice of the translator.]

Lhok Sukon, Banda Aceh -- The management of PT ExxonMobil Indonesia began dismissing around 1000 workers on Monday, this is the third time the company has dismissed contract workers this year.