Jakarta: The Working Dead
‘The Working Dead.’ (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
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At least fifty workers who had recently been dismissed by their employers — Pertamina Patra Niaga and Petrofin Elnusa — walked all the way from Bandung in West Java to the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Friday (13/10) in a show of protest.The workers were dressed up as zombies and walked for 160 kilometers before they reached the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta, where they held a demonstration.
The workers said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo should take ultimate responsibility for their unfair dismissals, since labor laws under his regime still allowed these to happen.
Since June 2017,Pertamina and Petrofin have dismissed 1095 of its drivers and oil tanker assistants. According to the workers, each of the dismissal was illegal since the workers had not been paid for five months, had not received their overtime pay, severance pay or reimbursement for health expenses.
The workers demanded the government should crack down on illegal layoffs and outsourcing. It should also force Pertamina and Petrofin to re-hire contract workers as full-time employees and pay off all unpaid salaries.
Barbed wire fences were erected around the Presidential Palace to prevent the workers from getting too close.
‘The Working Dead.’ (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
Some of the workers really got into character. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
Police officers stood guard in front of the Presidential Palace. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
The workers blamed Jokowi for their unfair dismissals. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
A worker wrapped a Pertamina flag around his foot. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
A worker in zombie makeup rests during the protest. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
Some of the workers had not been paid for five months before they were dismissed. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
‘Jokowi! Give us our overtime pay!’ a poster says. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)
Pertamina Patra Niaga has dismissed 1095 workers since June this year. (JG Photo/Yudha Baskoro)<>
Courtesy: Jakarta Globe |
