KASBI Explains Absence from Monas May Day Event Attended by Prabowo

As a leading voice for Indonesian workers, KASBI's decision to hold a separate May Day demonstration at the Parliament building, rather than join the official event with President Prabowo at Monas, underscores a deep-seated dissatisfaction with the current state of labor affairs.

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Memang kami sengaja melakukan aksi di gedung DPR, tidak di Monas bersama Presiden. Kami juga diundang, tapi bukan berarti kami apa, membenci pemerintahan dan lain-lain.

Our organization, KASBI, was indeed invited to the Monas event, but we chose to voice our concerns directly to the lawmakers at the DPR. This is not an act of defiance against the government, but a clear signal that the issues faced by the grassroots labor force remain critical and demand immediate legislative attention. The conditions for workers in Indonesia are still dire, and our presence at the DPR is a testament to our unwavering commitment to advocating for their rights and aspirations.

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Tapi, dengan situasi yang terjadi saat ini atau kondisi ketenagakerjaan yang ada saat ini masih sangat buruk, artinya kami masih ingin menyuarakan apa yang menjadi aspirasi dari kawan-kawan di grassroot.

Our demands are clear and have been articulated to the DPR leadership. We urgently need a new Labor Law that truly benefits workers, developed with our direct involvement, as past legislation has often failed to address our core concerns. Furthermore, the significant wage disparities across the nation and the precariousness of employment through outsourcing, contract work, and temporary arrangements must be tackled. We also call for the ratification of ILO Conventions 188 and 190, which are crucial for protecting the rights and safety of maritime workers and eliminating violence and harassment in the workplace.

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Kami meminta kepada DPR untuk segera melakukan pembahasan Undang-Undang Ketenagakerjaan yang pro buruh dengan melibatkan unsur-unsur dari serikat buruh. Karena kalau tidak melibatkan unsur-unsur dari serikat buruh, kami rasa secara substansi pasti tidak akan sesuai dengan apa yang menjadi tuntutan kaum buruh selama ini.

While other labor alliances participated in the May Day Fiesta at Monas, our path at the DPR highlights a strategic divergence. We believe direct engagement with the legislative body is more effective in pushing for systemic change. This approach allows us to bypass the potential for symbolic gestures and focus on achieving tangible improvements in labor laws and worker welfare, ensuring that the voices of the millions of Indonesian workers are not just heard, but acted upon.

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Nah mestinya apa pemerintah kita bisa melakukan ratifikasi itu.