Jombang – Thousands of workers have declared their opposition to participating in the July 8 presidential elections. The agreement emerged out of a mass meeting and consolidation by hundreds of trade union representatives held today at the Youth Social Development Building in Jombang, East Java.

Amanda Ferdina, Jakarta – Six protest actions are scheduled to mark the start of the week in Jakarta and surrounding areas. The mass actions will take place both in the morning and afternoon, so watch out for traffic jams.

Nograhany Widhi K., Jakarta – On Monday May 18, 10 separate demonstrations will ‘besiege’ Jakarta. Five of the demonstrations will be held at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta at 9am, so pay close attention to your route so as not to get caught in traffic.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – Journalists in the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh also took to the streets to commemorate International Labour Day on Friday May 1.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Labour Day, May 1, was commemorated in a number of cities and in various ways. In the Central Java city of Solo, scores of workers from the Solidarity Trade Union Federation (FSBSK) held a ‘squatting’ action to symbolise the oppression of workers, including domestic workers.

Muh Syaifullah, Yogyakarta – Workers and employees in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta used May Day to demand an eight-hour working day saying that workers in shopping centres are forced to work much longer than this.

Depok – In the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day, the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and the Greater Jakarta Railway Workers Trade Union (SPKAJ) are planning massive actions in Jakarta on May 1.

Jakarta – The increasing use of contract labour is undermining the strength of national trade unions and making it difficult for workers to struggle for decent working conditions.

Palembang – The impact of the global crisis continues to claim victims around the country as more workers are laid off. In South Sumatra for example, between mid 2008 and early 2009 as many as 2,000 workers have been sent home (temporarily laid off) or dismissed.

Zely Ariane – In July 2008, Barrack Obama, now the United State’s new president elect said: “If someone launches a rocket at my home while my two sons are sleeping, then I would make every effort to put an end to them, and I hope that the Israeli people would also do the same” (www.Solidarity-US.org

Aprizal Rahmatullah, Jakarta – It is as if Jakarta is never free from the bustle of protest actions. Today, seven groups of demonstrators are ready to enliven the capital with the potential to create traffic congestion.

Jakarta – The threat of a wave of dismissals as a consequence of the global crisis is beginning to be concretely felt by the manufacturing sector. As of Thursday November 20, the government has received requests from several companies that plan to dismiss 12,600 workers and lay of at least 1,200 more.

Hadi Santoso, Jakarta – The retreat of key cadres to other parties has left the Labour Party overwhelmed in its attempts to compose a list of legislative candidates.

E. Mei/Amelia. R, Jakarta – At least four protest actions will strike the capital city today and motorists are advised to be on the lookout for areas that could potentially become congested.

Reza M., Jakarta – A number of main thoroughfares in the capital city of Jakarta will be enlivened by protest actions this morning, Wednesday July 16.

Samarinda – Hundreds of workers from the East Kalimantan National Liberation Front (FPN) in the provincial city of Samarinda plan to take to the streets again to day, Monday July 14, to demand that the regional minimum wage be raised to 1.3 million rupiah per month.

Jumadi, Makassar – The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar is heating up. An activist from the South Sulawesi Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), Wahidah Baharuddin Upa, has declared that she will nominate himself to enliven the Makassar municipal electoral contest.

Melly Febrida, Jakarta – Protest actions will continue to enlivening Jakarta today. Locations that are expected to be affected by traffic congestion as a result of the demonstrations are the State Palace and the Bank Indonesia International (BII) Plaza. Motorists are asked to anticipate traffic jams and seek alternative routes.

Sugihono, Jakarta – At least 500 people from the National Liberation Front, an alliance that includes among others the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM), the State Electricity Company Trade Union (SP-PLN) and the Angkasa Pura Trade Union (SPAP) demonstrated at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Sunday June 1.

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Beep...! Beep....! The sound of vehicles beeping at each other reverberated along Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta. It was total gridlock from the Horse Statue to the State Palace as hundreds of workers and students prepared to descend upon the State Palace.