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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 70/1998
Indonesia must repeal its old repressive labour legislation and replace it with a new law. That was the call from representatives of Indonesian trade unions and labour groups on 21 August at the end of an international workshop held inside the country.
The demand was immediately backed by union internationals. In a joint statement issued in Indonesia on 21 August, the Asia-Pacific representatives of seven of the unions' sector-by-sector International Trade Secretariats declared that they "look forward to working with Indonesian workers to build a democratic, strong and independent trade union movement." Such a movement will, they insisted, "actively protect and enlarge the currently fragile democratic space opened up since May 1998."
Signatories to the international statement include Phee Jung-sun, Asia-Pacific Regional Secretary of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). He and the other internationals' regional officers were in Indonesia during the workshop, which was held by the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO). Other internationals signed up to the support statement are the food, agriculture and allied workers' IUF, the building and wood workers' IFBWW, the commercial, clerical, professional and technical employees' FIET, the education staffs' EI, the public service workers' PSI and the communication workers' CI.
The union internationals demand an "immediate end to military intervention in labour disputes" in Indonesia.
The Indonesian government must, they insist, ratify and implement all the main ILO Conventions that protect basic labour rights, notably freedom of association and collective bargaining for all workers. Women workers, as "the most vulnerable and exploited segment" of the Indonesian workforce must be guaranteed equality of treatment and opportunity and must be protected against discrimination and sexual harassment.
"Administrative procedures (for example, registration of unions) should not be tantamount to seeking permission from the state and should not be used to deny, undermine or discriminate against the establishment of unions and union structures of workers' own choosing," the internationals warn.
They declare "our solidarity with the millions of workers and the unemployed" in Indonesia who "face rapidly rising living costs and the loss of their livelihood which are the consequences of bad political and economic policies. It is necessary for an independent trade union movement to intervene in economic policy-making to ensure that these policies are directed at job creation, protection of workers' rights and livelihood and equitable development."
The demand was immediately backed by union internationals. In a joint statement issued in Indonesia on 21 August, the Asia-Pacific representatives of seven of the unions' sector-by-sector International Trade Secretariats declared that they "look forward to working with Indonesian workers to build a democratic, strong and independent trade union movement." Such a movement will, they insisted, "actively protect and enlarge the currently fragile democratic space opened up since May 1998."
Signatories to the international statement include Phee Jung-sun, Asia-Pacific Regional Secretary of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). He and the other internationals' regional officers were in Indonesia during the workshop, which was held by the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO). Other internationals signed up to the support statement are the food, agriculture and allied workers' IUF, the building and wood workers' IFBWW, the commercial, clerical, professional and technical employees' FIET, the education staffs' EI, the public service workers' PSI and the communication workers' CI.
The union internationals demand an "immediate end to military intervention in labour disputes" in Indonesia.
The Indonesian government must, they insist, ratify and implement all the main ILO Conventions that protect basic labour rights, notably freedom of association and collective bargaining for all workers. Women workers, as "the most vulnerable and exploited segment" of the Indonesian workforce must be guaranteed equality of treatment and opportunity and must be protected against discrimination and sexual harassment.
"Administrative procedures (for example, registration of unions) should not be tantamount to seeking permission from the state and should not be used to deny, undermine or discriminate against the establishment of unions and union structures of workers' own choosing," the internationals warn.
They declare "our solidarity with the millions of workers and the unemployed" in Indonesia who "face rapidly rising living costs and the loss of their livelihood which are the consequences of bad political and economic policies. It is necessary for an independent trade union movement to intervene in economic policy-making to ensure that these policies are directed at job creation, protection of workers' rights and livelihood and equitable development."