Joniansyah, Jakarta – Ten labor unions within the Aliansi Serikat Pekerja Bandara Soekarno-Hatta (Soekarno-Hatta Airport Workers Union Alliance) have confirmed that they will mobilize thousands of people to Jakarta for the commemoration of Labor Day or May Day tomorrow, May 1. This year, workers at Soekarno-Hatta Airport will focus on issues related to the Asset Seizure Law and the Bipartite Cooperation Institution.
"These two key issues will be the main focus of our agenda for this May Day," said Dwi Yulianta, a representative of the Aliansi Serikat Pekerja Bandara, on Wednesday, April 30.
Dwi, who is also the General Chairperson of the Garuda Indonesia Workers Union (Sekarga), stated that the alliance currently has more than 20,000 members. He predicted that the majority of the members would take to the streets during the peak May Day events at Monas and the Pertamina Sports Center tomorrow.
He explained that both state-owned and private company employees are also part of federations and confederations within the alliance. "Yesterday, we received information that each confederation would send more than 1,000 people to attend May Day," Dwi said.
The alliance hopes that the government will seriously address the issues of the Asset Seizure Law and the Bipartite Cooperation Institution, which have been discussed for a long time but remain unresolved. "These are the core issues we are raising, along with several other demands," he added.
Meanwhile, workers and the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police have agreed not to hold a demonstration at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on May 1. Instead, they will engage in a social action, such as a communal work event at the At-Taqwa Mosque at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport. "We will still organize a joint activity between the government and the labor unions in the form of a communal work event," Dwi said.
A total of 65 individuals, including representatives from the airport labor unions and the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, participated in cleaning the surroundings of the At-Taqwa Mosque.
Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police Chief Commissioner Ronald FC Sipayung said the communal work with airport workers was to celebrate May Day. "This positive activity aims to clean the mosque area to make it more comfortable for worship," Ronald said during the communal work at the At-Taqwa Mosque on Tuesday, April 29.
Ronald mentioned that the airport police had deployed 35 personnel, in addition to 25 union members, making a total of about 65 people involved in the mosque cleaning.
"Previously, the airport police held a meeting with all representatives from the labor unions. Everyone expressed support for ensuring that Soekarno-Hatta Airport remains safe, peaceful, and conducive during this year's May Day," Ronald said.