Ryana Aryadita Umasugi, Jakarta – Thousands of workers and employees from trade unions affiliated with the Jakarta Labour Movement (GBJ) held a protest action at the city hall in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Wednesday March 11.
The trade unions taking part in the action included, among others, the Indonesian Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI).
They went to the city hall to voice their opposition to the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation, bringing with them banners with messages such as "Dangers of the Omnibus Law, An All Encompassing Draft Law to Sweep Away the People" and "Reject the Omnibus Law".
"Unity is the most concrete path to prosperity. We are showing the state that if the Omnibus Law goes ahead and is ratified we will hold a massive strike", said one of the speakers from atop of the command vehicle.
In their demands, the GBJ is calling on Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and the leadership of the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) to declare a position of rejecting the Omnibus Law which is currently be deliberated by the House of Representatives (DPR).
In addition to this, they are also asking the Jakarta DPRD to convey this to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo so that he will be prepared to drop the draft law.
"The Jakarta Labour Movement which exists in Jakarta is calling on the DPRD leadership to declare a position of opposing the Draft Omnibus Law which will be deliberated by the DPR and convey this position to the president so that he immediately cancels the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation", they said.
Following the protest action at the city hall, they then moved off to nearby Jl Kebon Siri, which is located right in front of the Jakarta DPRD, to convey the same message to the members of the House.
Trade unions have raised a series of concerns over the Omnibus Law which is currently being touted by President Widodo. The draft law will combine 1,194 articles in 82 laws into a single piece of legislation, namely the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
Trade unions are concerned because it will result in abolishing minimum wages, reducing severance pay, make employee's job status unclear, ease the entry of foreign works into Indonesia and threatens to abolish social welfare for workers.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Tolak Omnibus Law, Buruh Demo di Kantor Anies dan DPRD DKI".]