Industrial zones paralyzed due to labor strikes

Bogor (Antara) - A number of industrial zones in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi were paralyzed on Thursday as a result of labor strikes.

"Striking workers have already paralyzed the Pulogadung industrial zone (Jakarta) as of this morning," the secretary general of the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI), Muhammad Rusdi, said.

Industries affected by the strike in Jakarta include those in Cakung, Sunter, Cilincing and Tanjung Priok, while in West Java, Bekasi and Depok were affected, as well as Cikupa and Tangerang in the Banten province.

Rusdi noted that the striking workers in Jakarta are demanding a wage increase to Rp3.7 million, the revocation of Presidential Instruction Number 9/2013, the eradication of the outsourcing system, and the implementation of health insurance by 2014.

The workers, who will remain on strike until Nov. 1, have visited several factories to demand that the workers there join the strike.  

"The workers asked them to join the demonstration," remarked one of the workers in Tangerang, Mirda.

Roads in Tangerang, Banten, particularly around industrial areas, were clogged with demonstrators.

Manpower minister Muhaimin Iskandar had called on the workers to refrain from creating traffic jams and disturbing the peace during their activities and appealed to them to express their aspirations through various forums such as the bipartite forum or the remuneration board.