JAKARTA, 1 MAY, 2012: Thousands of workers staged demonstrations in several towns in Indonesia in conjunction with Workers Day, Tuesday, demanding for various improvements, including wage increase and abolishment of the outsourcing work system.

Besides in Jakarta, mainly in front of Istana Merdeka in Semarang, Central Java, about 3,000 workers, comprising members of the Perikatan Gerakan Buruh Semarang, held a demonstration to demand for a minimum wage of Rp1.5 million (RM535) to Rp2 million (RM714) a month in 2013, from the current Rp991.500 (RM354) a month.a

The movement coordinator, Heru Budi Utoyo, in his speech, said the current rate was unreasonable.

They also demanded the contract and outsourcing system to be abolished, as well as maternity leave for female workers.


- Bernama