By: Rega Feriansyah *)
Labor Day, which is also known as May Day, celebrated every May 1. In some countries, Labor Day made an annual holiday, which originated from the trade union movement effort to celebrate the success of economic and social workers. Labor Day was born out of a series of working class struggle. Briefly, Labor Day is triggered at the Haymarket riots in Chicago, Illinois on May 4, 1886. The riots were preceded by a demonstration of around 400,000 workers in the US are demanding a reduction in their working hours to 8 hours a day on May 1, 1886.
Ahead of the international workers memorial day (May Day), which falls on May 1 2016, various labor organizations in several regions in Indonesia are already planning a variety of activities in the May Day. Activities are usually done in the form of rallies to improve the welfare of workers as workers demand higher wages, abolition of Outsourching, determination instruments decent living needs (KHL). In a climate of democracy, protest is a natural thing to express the aspirations blocked by the system or by the mentality of the manager or a state institution. While in Indonesia, the rallies are allowed while not doing anarchists, and it is protected by the laws of the republic of Indonesia.
However, if it is seen more in some cases the increase in labor costs periodically labor was still not prosper. One factor is when the labor required to rise but the increase is not proportional to the increase in the quality of performance of the workers themselves, it caused a lot of companies that had many use the services of the worker becomes bankrupt or switch using mechanical power or take workers from the state another cheaper. If these conditions persist, of course workers in Indonesia soon it will become unemployed back. The high cost of production compared to sales of which may be found among the foreign investors are also many attractive investment that was one thing that influenced the increase in inflation. Demands a wage increase in order ends meet, again had no significant impact.
In addition, workers’ lifestyles that still need attention. When wages rise turns out the consumer behavior of workers is also increasing. The increase fought to improve the quality of life of workers that can be done with a variety of more positive things as a way to send children in better schools, set aside part of the salary for immediate needs and future, etc. However, it is very rarely done after the increase in the wages. At the end of the fixed wage increase will have no impact in accordance with the expectations of a good when the increase is sought, but rather the fulfillment of consumer desires. In this case, ahead of the international Labor Day should be a reflection for all involved parties such as governments, companies and especially the workers themselves.
*) CIDISS Contributor