MANILA: Workers and activists marked
May Day on Tuesday with rallies to demand their government address labor issues.
International Workers' Day is a public holiday in many countries, though activities are restricted in some places, sometimes leading to confrontations.
A look at some of the events around the world:
PHILIPPINES
About 5,000 people from various groups rallied near the
presidential palace in Manila to protest the failure of Philippine President
Rodrigo Duterte to fulfill a major campaign promise to end contractualization, the widespread practice of short-term employment.
The protesters also demanded that the government address issues including low wages, unemployment and trade union repression.
INDONESIA
About 10,000 workers from various labor groups rallied near the presidential palace in Jakarta to voice their demands.
Most of the workers came from Jakarta and nearby suburbs, but some traveled from West Java and Surabaya.
The protesters urged the government to avoid outsourcing, and to raise their wages. They also asked the government to stop foreign laborers from working in Indonesia, saying it decreases employment opportunities for local workers.
CAMBODIA
About 2,000 garment workers gathered at a park in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, for a rally organized by a garment union coalition.
The workers wanted to march to the National Assembly to urge lawmakers to help them address labor-related concerns, but the group was stopped by riot police.
Prime Minister Hun Sun spent May Day with some 5,000 garment workers just outside Phnom Penh. He thanked the workers by announcing that each of them will receive 50,000 riel ($12.50).
