OVER 20,000 POLICE, SOLDIERS TO GUARD JAKARTA STRIKE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 30 (Antara) - More than 20,000 security personnel will be deployed to maintain peace in Jakarta in the face of the industrial workers' national strikes planned for Thursday and Friday.          Jakarta Police Spokesman Senior Commissioner Rikwanto said on Wednesday that the Jakarta Police will field 17,276 police officers who will be assisted by 3,800 military personnel and 819 public order officials.          Thousands of Jakarta workers have held rallies since Monday, demanding wages be increased by 50 percent from Rp2.2 million to Rp3.7 million per month, the end of outsourcing and an increase in the decent living cost (KHL) from Rp1.9 million to Rp2.7 million.          Rikwanto said that the number of security personnel was not increased from that deployed since Monday in the face of the national strike, yet these personnel would be distributed to certain sensitive spots.          Strict security will also be in place at vital locations, such as the State Palace, the Parliamentary complex and the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle.      Industrial workers in Jakarta have been holding rallies since Monday, prior to their national strike scheduled for Thursday and Friday.            According to the chairman of the Confederation of the Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI), Said Iqbal, the national strikes will involve three million workers in 15 provinces and 50 districts.          KSPI demands that workers wages be increased by 50 percent, which in Jakarta reach Rp3.7 million.         The KSPI, along with other workers associations, promised to conduct peaceful rallies. Therefore, it asked the police to help guard their rallies so that the demonstrations proceed peacefully, as well.          Iqbal's colleague, Muchtar Guntur, who chairs the National Trade Unions Confederation (KSN), said the planned strikes in 150 districts and municipalities were expected to paralyze 40 industrial zones across the country.          According to Muchtar Guntur, this year's workers rallies were larger than in 2012, and he promised that workers would stage orderly rallies. Police should guard the rallies and large crowds so that incidents do not occur, since the demonstrations are officially held.         "We call on police across the country to guard us in accordance with standing procedures, because we have notified them based on the provisions regulated in Law No. 9/ 1998." Muchtar said.          Rallies are planned in Pulo Gadung, Tanjung Priok, Marunda, Cilincing, Cakung, Bekasi and other industrial zones.          Indonesian Metal Workers Union in Batam, Riau, for example, will send at least 25,000 workers to support the national strike.          "We believe that at least 25,000 workers will take part in the national strike in Batam," Mustofa, deputy chairman of Batam's Federation of Metal Workers Unions (FSPMI), said.          Apart from 22,000 members of FSPMI, about 1,500 workers grouped in the National Trade Union of Batam (SPN) will also take part, he added.         Further, a number of non-governmental organizations grouped in the Civil Society Coalition (KMS) support workers' national strikes. This coalition will team with the National Coalition for Workers Movement (KNGB)  to stage the strike on Thursday and Friday.          KMS said in press statement on Wednesday that the KNGB is a coalition of almost all workers unions which actively fights for the improvement of workers' prosperity.          Winarso, the chairman of the regional executive board of the Federation of Metal Workers Unions (FSPMI), said that workers demand a 50 percent wage increase.           "We also reject Presidential Instruction No. 9 / 2012 because it enables employers to pay workers a low wage. We opt for discussions between workers and employers to decide a decent KHL for items. We demand that the current 60 KHL items, as regulated, be revised," Winarso said.          According to Winarso, in 2014 inflation is predicted to reach double-digits, or more than 10 percent, while economic growth is expected at 6.2 percent. Laborers, who have contributed to the economic growth, should also enjoy this growth, though they also face double-digit inflation.          He noted that workers contributed about 46.2 percent to economic growth, or nearly 50 percent, and deserve a salary increase of 50 percent, which he says constitutes a realistic demand.          "We need all sides understanding what a decent pay is for us. So, we are serious about staging a national strike from October 31 to November 1, 2013 if our demand is not met. We hope Apindo (the employers association) and the government would not back each other. But they should negotiate with us," stated Winarso.          Meanwhile, the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman, Sofyan Wanandi, said a labor wage increase would not solve labors' problems, especially relating to their standard of living.          "A wage increase will not solve labors' problems, so the government should play its role," Sofyan said at a press gathering.          He noted that the government's assistance is badly needed to solve the problem of labors' standard of living, for instance, by providing low-cost housing, affordable health care, and less expensive transportation.***2*** (T.A014/INE) (EDITED BY INE) (T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 30-10-2013 21:57: