The Jakarta Post, Tue, September 01 2015,
Workers joining with the Confederation of Indonesian Workers’ Union (KSPI) launched sweeping raids on a number of factories in Tanjungmorawa district, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra, on Tuesday.
The raids conducted by the workers, who traveled on motorbikes and pick-up trucks, ran smoothly and faced almost no resistance from the managers of the factories.
A KSPI Deli Serdang leader, who identified himself as Romy, said the raids were aimed at inviting workers to stage a rally at the North Sumatra governor’s office in Medan.
“We want to stage a rally to express our rejection of massive layoffs in companies. We are now working due to the weakening of the rupiah,” he said on the sidelines of a factory sweep on Jl. Industry Tanjungmorawa, Deli Serdang.
Romy said apart from rejecting layoffs, the workers were also protesting the government’s policies on foreign workers in Indonesia.
In Medan, KSPI supporters from Deli Serdang joined with members of labor unions from other areas. They assembled at the Maimon Palace before they moved together to the North Sumatra governor’s office.
The rally’s coordinator Minggu Saragih said workers were forced to stage a rally due to uncertain economic conditions. He said Indonesia’s economic slowdown had brought about a negative impact on their livelihoods.
“Worker layoffs are occurring everywhere. We are apprehensive about the condition of workers. We are calling on the government, especially the North Sumatra administration, to seriously respond this problem,” said Saragih.
*
wo 2 sep 2015 - 0:40