Labor’s Day or so-called May Day celebrated annually on May 1, always become the moment to prospering all labors. In Indonesia, it is marked by a series of large scale protest by the workers, with various agenda, such as demanding the government to remove outsourcing, granting social security, as well as demanding a better wages. Media monitoring conducted by IMMC on labor’s issues was made to welcome the commemoration of Labor’s Day as an effort to capture the dynamics of labor unions in the last year alone.

1. THE DYNAMICS OF
LABORS’ COVERAGE IN
INDONESIA

2. REPORTS FROM IMMC’S MEDIA MONITORING
RESULTS
27 April 2011 – 27 April 2012
www.immcnews.com
@Immcnews

3. Background
•
•
•
•
Labor’s Day or so-called May Day celebrated annually on May 1, always become the
moment to prospering all labors.
In Indonesia, it is marked by a series of large scale protest by the workers, with various
agenda, such as demanding the government to remove outsourcing, granting social
security, as well as demanding a better wages.
Beyond all those racket on Labor’s Day, issues related to workers over the last year is
worth observing. The existence of large scale protest, demanding for raising UMK and
marked by highway blockade in Jakarta has become the most attention drawing matter.
In addition, the ratification about international convention on the Protection of the Rights
of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families are expected to become a strong
legal framework for the government to further protect it’s citizens who work abroad.
Media monitoring conducted by IMMC on labor’s issues was made to welcome the
commemoration of Labor’s Day as an effort to capture the dynamics of labor unions in
the last year alone.

4. METHODS
• Study are conducted by using purposive sampling method on
the
well
known
online
media,
specifically
detik.com,
okezone.com and rakyatmerdekaonline.com.
• Data collection was conducted from 27 April 2011 – 27 April
2012.
• Data collection techniques used are collect, categorize and
analyze all coverage (content analysis) about labor issues.

5. Total Coverage
Media
Total
Detik.com
321
Rakyatmerdekaonline.com
263
Okezone
313
Total
897

6. Dynamic
Issues
250
•
200
•
150
100
50
0
•
Coverage about workers in January
2012 are rapidly increasing due to
protest from Bekasi, Tangerang
workers that demanded a raise for
UMK by blocking the highway.
In February and March 2012, workers
held another protest against fuel price
raising.
In April 2012, labor issues that arise
were May Day issues, Migrant
Workers (TKI and organ trade),
housing for workers and legalization of
migrant workers protection law.

7. News Placement
•
In Title
In News
319
313
154
109
2
Detik.com
Rakyat Merdeka
Oke Zone
•
Labor issues in Detik.com and Oke
Zone are heavily covered as the main
focus in their coverage.
Meanwhile, at Rakyat Merdeka, news
placement on labor issues are usually
placed on other topics.

8. News Tone
Detik.com
Rakyat Merdeka
Oke Zone
•
•
165
112
35
161
63
40
113
Posistif
125
84
Netral
Negatif
Mostly, the media always covered
everything about labors in neutral tone.
But, in comparison from positive to
negative tone, most of them are negative.
The reason media sees the labors’ protest
in negative way is because how most of
them act in the protest, which usually
deviate from rules and harming others’
interest. Language usage in the coverage
tends to be provocative towards those
acts, further strengthen the fact that
labor’s act left a negative impression on
society.

9. Top 10 Labor Issues
•
522
•
266
116
116
62
•
49
36
32
30
27
Issues about labor’s protest have received
the biggest spotlight throughout the past
year in as many as 522 coverage.
Other issues related when they try to
delivered the messages are demanding in
wage increase in 266 coverage, about
workers welfare in 116 coverage, refusal
for increasing fuel price in 116 coverage
and about outsourcing in 27 coverage.
As for issues about labor mediation were
about 62 coverage, about BPJS in 49
coverage, related to the role of Parliament
in 36 coverage, talking about labor rights
in 32 coverage and treatment to workers
(talking about violence against worker) in
as much as 30 coverage.

10. Top 10 Labor Issues (Detik)
•
Rumah Buruh
5
Buruh Migran
5
•
Perlakuan Buruh
12
Hak Buruh
13
Kesejahteraan Buruh
13
Outsorcing
18
Mediasi buruh
Penolakan Kenaikan BBM
Upah Buruh
Demo Buruh
24
79
112
231
Labor issues that are mostly covered by
Detik.com are about labors’ protest.
Evidently, issues about outsourcing and
facilities for workers like home for labors
are the most highlighted news by
Detik.com.

11. Top 10 Labor Issues (RM)
•
Serikat Buruh
5
•
Perlakuan Buruh
10
Hak Buruh
10
Mediasi buruh
Regulasi Buruh
Peran DPR (Perjuangan Buruh)
Upah Buruh
BPJS
Kesejahteraan Buruh
Demo Buruh
•
12
17
27
31
42
54
97
Rakyat Merdeka also covered a lot
about labors’ protest.
Issues about regulation and policies
related to labors are also reported quite
often by Rakyat Merdeka.
Rakyat Merdeka also covered a lot
about Parliaments’ role in defending
labors’ rights.

12. Top 10 Labor Issues (Okezone)
•
Kesehatan Buruh
9
Serikat Buruh
9
Hak Buruh
9
Kecelakaan Kerja
•
11
Buruh Migran
•
11
Mediasi buruh
Penolakan Kenaikan BBM
Kesejahteraan Buruh
Upah Buruh
Demo Buruh
26
34
49
123
194
Labors’ protest are the mostly covered
issues by Oke Zone.
Other issues are about labors’ rights like
wages, welfare and labors’ health.
Oke Zone are usually more intense in
paying attention about migrant workers
and labor mediation if compared to other
medias.

13. Protest Location
•
Sulawesi
3
Jateng
6
•
dll
22
Sumatra
24
Jatim
Banten
Jabar
DKI
47
106
143
171
The most covered for issues about
labors’ protest are in Java like Jakarta,
West Java, Banten and North Java.
Media’s exposed against protest outside
Java are still low. Nonetheless,
domination of these three regions as an
industrial area (Jakarta, West Java and
Banten) has turned the region into a
running wheel for labors protest in
Indonesia.

14. Labors Protest Pattern
•
Segel
9
Mogok kerja/makan
16
Sweeping
20
•
Penertiban Oleh Aparat
45
Rusuh/ Ricuh/ Anarkis
46
Turun Ke jalan/ aksi damai
52
Ke Kantor Pmrth / DPR/ DPRD
Blokade Fas. Umum
153
164
Pattern for labors’ protest by blockading
public facilities has become a new trend
for all labors to expressed their
aspiration rather than visiting the
Government, Parliament / Council or
other strategic locations.
Peaceful protest are considered less
effective in expressing their aspirations
and it’s very rare to see labors’ protest in
a peaceful manner. On the other hand,
this proved to be very ‘effective’ for the
workers, but was considered as a threat
to the investors and security stability.

15. Demands in Labors’ Protest
•
Lain-lain
7
Perlakuan Buruh
9
BPJS
10
Hak Buruh
11
Regulasi Buruh
12
Mediasi buruh
19
Outsorcing
•
23
Kesejahteraan Buruh
Penolakan Kenaikan BBM
Upah Buruh
•
74
97
182
The most demanded from labors are
about wages and welfare. This suggest
that worker’s wage that guarantees their
welfare are still low.
Refusing for increasing fuel price are also
demanded in their protest, that is when
there is a plan from the government to
raise the fuel price. All workers
considered that the increasing fuel price
can keep them away from welfare due to
increasing prices and threat of getting
fired.
Until now, rejection for outsourcing is still
frequently expressed by the workers in
the protest, because it is considered
harmful for the labors.

16. THANK YOU