Labor Issue Can Be Addressed, Says Minister

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The national labor issue can be properly addressed through intensive communications between the government, employers, and workers, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said here on Thursday.

"As the Chinese saying goes, 'After clouds there is sunshine,' so the national labor problem can be solved," Dahlan said, as he opened a seminar entitled, Economic Outlook 2012: Journey of Wealth in the Year of Dragon.

In his opening address, the state enterprises minister shed light on the recent labor rally in Bekasi, West Java, which interrupted work in a number of factories and paralyzed traffic for hours.

The workers, who have said they have difficulties getting by on their wages, staged the rally in Bekasi to demand fair  wages, but Dahlan said their rally had disturbed the area¿s economic life.

Further, he said the labor rally was really unfounded because there were other ways for workers to channel their demands without harming other parties.(IGT)