11 November, 2015On 4 November, nearly 30 thugs savagely attacked peaceful demonstrators in North Sumatra, Indonesia, protesting against a new system for a minimum wage drastically cutting unions’ influence
The workers were exercising their legitimate right to protest peacefully against the new minimum wage setting process in Sumatra, Indonesia, when they were attacked. Seven labour activists had to be hospitalized as a result of the attack.
This is the second incident of violence against workers within a few weeks. In October, 25 demonstrators were arrested and many were injured when 35,000 people took to the streets of Jakarta to protest against a new regulation that excludes trade unions from the minimum wage setting process.
IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina says that this is a step back for the democratic process in Indonesia:
“There has to be an immediate end to all violence against workers, and Indonesians’ right to freedom of speech and assembly must be respected.
“IndustriALL Global Union urges the government of Indonesia to repeal the new regulation and include trade unions in the minimum wage setting process.”
IndustriALL Global Union supports the demands of the Indonesian trade union centres KSPI (FSPMI, Farkes, SPN,KEP, ISI), KSPSI (cemwu), KSBSI (Lomenik, FPE, Garteks) FSBI, KPKPBI, FBLP, SBSI 92, PGRI to: 1) Refuse the government’s regulation (PP number 78/2015) on setting the minimum wage without workers’ involvement; 2) Refuse the formula of the new minimum wage based only on GDP and economic growth (less than 10 per cent); 3) Demand an increase to the 2016 minimum wage of 22 per cent or IDR 500.000 (US$36).