Joniansyah, Tangerang – About five thousand workers in Tangerang District this morning (27/3) took to the streets to rejecting the revision the State Decree13/2003 on Manpower Affairs.

The action of the workers from various companies was directly related to the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono to PT Panarub for a meeting with businesspeople in the international shoe industry.

The meeting lasted from 1pm to 2pm Indonesian Western Time (WIB) this afternoon.

Currently, hundreds of workers are gathered at the Jalan Moh Toha junction, about 500 meters from the PT Panarub Industri complex.

According to Sunarno, coordinator of the Cisadane Workers' Committee, the peaceful action by workers is aimed at showing the government that workers in Tangerang reject State Decree13/2003 and the revision.

"We will try to meet the president face to face today," said Sunarno.

The workers are also demanding that State Decree 12/1964 on Termination of Work and the revised State Decree 22/1957 on Labor Conflict Settlements be improved, and that people's organizations are involved in setting policies.

According to Sunarno, the Manpower State Decree is extremely unfair for workers and does not protect their interests.