Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Prosperous Workers Union Confederation (KSBSI) and four other labor organizations will jointly hold strikes in several locations on November 4 and 10, 2014 to ask for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi)'s commitment.
"If our demands are not fulfilled by acting Jakarta Governor Basuki Rachmat/Ahok, we will organize labor rallies on November 4 and 10," KSBSI President Mudhofir said here on Saturday.
Earlier, laborers have lodged a demand to the governor to raise the minimum wage to Rp3,200,000 per month.
He said that a rally could also be held in the premise of the Merdeka Palace to ask for Jokowi's commitment regarding three pillars of labors' prosperity. The three pillars are reasonable life, reasonable employment and reasonable payment.
Mudhofir said that he would consolidate with two other organizations, namely the KSPI and KSPSI in order to have the sane votes by holding a national worker strike.
"If there is a joint interest, it is possible that we are cooperating again to conduct a national strike," he added.
He said workers action on November 4, 2014 would be held in the premises of the Jakarta Governor's office, in the yard of the Jakarta Legislative Assembly (DPRD) and Manpower and Transmigration offices.
On November 10, workers will flock to the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
In the meantime, the All-Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) activists have welcome the dismissal of 58 staffers by Freeport management.
"The dismissals are not the union's right, but the field workers' will. If they have made the decision, the union will recommend it. We are just the mouthpiece for the workers," Sudiro, a chairman of the SPSI for Chemical, Energy and Mining Division of PT Freeport, stated.
Speaking to Antara about the matter, Sudiro said the dismissal of 58 staffers from their structural positions in the mining company was the aspiration of workers.
On Wednesday (Oct 29) night, Head of Mimika District Eltinus Omaleng facilitated a meeting between the union's representatives and those of the managements of PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Kuala Pelabuhan Indonesia (KPI) and PT Puncak Jaya Power (PJP).
They discussed the threat issued by the unions of the three companies to go on a month-long strike starting from November 6 to December 6, 2014.
The meeting decided to follow up four points that workers had demanded when meeting with the Freeport McMoRan CEO, James Robert Moffet.
Sudiro emphasized that the unions' threat to organize a strike was not a 'bluff' considering the large number of workers in the three companies, including PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura.
If PT Puncak Jaya Power (PJP) is in charge of power supply, PT Kuala Pelabuhan Indonesia handles matters related to transportation while Freeport is responsible for production mining, he said.
"We expect a win-win situation for both companies and workers and also for indigenous communities living around mining sites," he noted.
Sudiro revealed that a series of negotiations between SPSI representatives and the management of PT Freeport Indonesia had taken place without any acceptable outcome.
Hence, union activists proposed that they meet with James Bob Moffet in Jakarta to find a solution, Sudiro added.
The workers' struggle for decent work environment, fairness, and justice, is not aimed at destroying any company. Instead, they want them to become better in the future and free from all acts of oppression, discrimination, and conflicting situations. (WDY)
