By: Ahmad Aziz)*
Workers will demonstrate again on November 10, 2021 in commemoration of Hero’s Day. The public clearly rejects it because currently there is still a Covid-19 pandemic, so it is vulnerable to causing new clusters of Covid-19.
Hero’s day is usually celebrated ceremonially and becomes a sacred moment, because after the ceremony, they usually go directly to the hero’s grave garden for pilgrimage. However, that day is also usually used as an excuse to protest. The workers will demonstrate and their reason is to express their aspirations directly.
KSPI President Said Iqbal stated that the demonstration on November 10, 2021 would be carried out on a large scale, because up to 10,000 workers took to the streets. They are in 26 provinces and 150 cities/districts in Indonesia. The demonstration will be held at the same time, namely at 10 am, in front of the office of the mayor, regent, or governor, and will be held on the occasion of Hero’s Day.
Said continued, there were 4 demands for a demonstration. First, increase the minimum wage for workers by 7 to 10%, secondly abolish the onlibus law of the Job Creation Law, thirdly apply sectoral minimum wages in 2021 and 2022, while the fourth is to enforce collective labor agreements (PKB) without an omnibus law.
The public clearly rejects the labor demonstrations for fear of a Corona cluster. This is reinforced by the statement of UI epidemiologist Tri Yunis Eko Wahyono who stated that the demonstration would be a place for the Corona virus to spread quickly, because during demonstrations it would be very difficult to maintain a safe distance (at least 1 meter).
In a sense, the demonstrators clearly violated the health protocol because they walked hand in hand side by side, even though they did not know which of the protesters was OTG. By demonstrating and venting their emotions, they can forget themselves and disobey the process. Aren’t you afraid of getting Corona?
Even though if they get Corona themselves, they will lose because they have to go to the hospital or self-isolate for 14 days. Yes, if you get special leave from the factory, if not? They could be threatened with losing their jobs, just because they are in a hurry to demonstrate. Even though finding a new job during the pandemic is much more difficult than usual.
Not to mention the risk of transmitting Corona from the protesters to their families, and would you have the heart if young children were infected with the Covid-19 virus? The risk is even greater because children under 12 years of age have not been vaccinated.
From past demos, there was a random rapid test and OTG was always found among the crowd. Isn’t this a lesson? Don’t demo carelessly and result in the formation of a new Corona cluster, because it can be life threatening.
Currently, the situation is relatively safe because the number of Corona patients is less than 1,000 people per day. However, if the workers always insist on demonstrating, there will be a new cluster and the number of Covid patients could rise. Though Corona spreads widely and can cause a third wave of attacks.
If there is a third Corona attack, it is possible that PPKM will be tightened again, and citizens’ mobility will be limited. The workers will complain again because it is difficult to get out of the house. Even though this is because of their own fault for daring to demonstrate in the midst of a pandemic.
Hero’s Day should be filled with pilgrimages to TMP and donations to the poor. Don’t even protest for this and that reason. Demonstrating is not a good way to express aspirations, and a demonstration on Hero’s Day does not automatically turn protesters into heroes. They could even be suspect because they helped spread the Corona.
)* The author is a contributor to the Nusa Bangsa Institute
