THOUSANDS of workers joined mass protests in Indonesia today in opposition to planned new legislation that they warn will weaken employment rights and environmental protections.

The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), representing 32 organisations, organised a rally in front of the presidential palace and Constitutional Court in the capital Jakarta.

The confederation reported that thousands of workers attended from cities in East and West Java, while protests also took place in other parts of the country including Yogyakarta, Banda Aceh, Medan and Makassar.