Jump to main content
IndustriALL logotype

Indonesian unions demonstrate their strength in unity

7 February, 2013One day after a massive rally in Jakarta, the leaders of 11 Indonesian unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union met and decided to create the IndustriALL Indonesia Council.

Gathered on 7 February 2013, the leaders discussed common challenges, the IndustriALL Action Plan and took the decision to create the IndustriALL Indonesia Council as a platform for coordinating struggles and implementing the IndustriALL plan of activities.

The meeting was result of the leadership forum held in November 2012 (http://www.industriall-union.org/events/industriall-indonesia-leadership-forum ) where the affiliates agreed on the points of solidarity and united action, as follows:

  1. Campaigning for changes to social security
  2. Improving labour legislation and stopping union busting and the criminalization of labour leaders
  3. Reducing the prevalence of precarious work
  4. Fighting for a national minimum wage    
  5. On organizing and collective bargaining

The meeting elected a co-ordinator, vice co-ordinator and 4 members of a steering committee, who will meet soon to strategise the action plan and discuss the timetable.

The meeting was chaired by Vonny Diananto, a Regional Officer of IndustriALL based in South East Asia and Fernando Lopes, Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL, who closed the meeting saying that a important decision had been taken that would certainly contribute to the strength of the unions and IndustriALL in the country and the region.

One day before the meeting, the IndustriALL representatives participated in a 50,000 strong rally in downtown Jakarta organized by The Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers’ Union (FSPMI). The workers were demanding improved health care insurance and pension system and an increase of the minimum wage for all Indonesian citizens as part of FSPMI’s 14th anniversary celebrations.

The elected IndustriALL Indonesia Council structure is as follows:

Chair: Sjaiful DP (President of KEP CITU)

Secretary: Eduard Marpaung (General Secretary of LOMENIK KSBSI)

Steering Committees Members:

CITU: Suparno, B. (General Secretary of FSPMI)

KSBSI: Elly Silaban (President of GARTEKS)

KSN: Pandi Wijaya (Head of Training Department of FSP2KI)

KSPSI: Chandra Mahlan (Head of Training Department CEMWU)