Labor union defies military ban<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The independent labor union SBSI will conclude
\nits 10-day training for its activists today, held in defiance of
\nthe military who have twice disbanded it.<\/p>\n
Muchtar Pakpahan, the chairman of the Indonesian Prosperous
\nLabor Union, told The Jakarta Post by telephone yesterday that
\nthe training course proceeded as scheduled after all.<\/p>\n
The materials discussed in the training included strategies
\nfor holding strikes and for bargaining with employers. \"Workers
\nhave the right to strikes,\" Muchtar said.<\/p>\n
The meeting was initially held in Sibolangit, North Sumatra, a
\ntourist resort some 60 kilometer southeast of the capital Medan.
\nOpened last Wednesday, it was first stopped by the military on
\nFriday and some of its activists, including Muchtar, were briefly
\narrested.<\/p>\n
The meeting resumed on Sunday, but was broken up on Monday.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the activists moved the venue of the gathering to
\nMedan and proceeded with the program.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Sedarijanto, in his capacity as chief of the North
\nSumatra coordinating board for stability and security
\n(Bakorstranasda), ordered the meeting disbanded and imposed a
\ntemporary ban on the labor organization conducting its activities
\nin the region.<\/p>\n
Muchtar said the union has met all legal procedures for
\nholding the meeting.<\/p>\n
Besides, \"workers have the right to stage industrial strikes.
\nThis right is guaranteed by the law and enshrined in the
\nprinciples of Pancasila,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"If workers are barred from staging strikes in their efforts
\nto fight for their interests, and from seeking information about
\nthe companies' financial status, this means that the military
\nwants workers to remain stupid,\" he charged.<\/p>\n
\"I'm going to sue Sedarijanto for issuing the ban,\" Muchtar,
\nwho is a lawyer by training, said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has said the ban
\nviolated the law and the International Labor Organization's
\nConvention on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining.<\/p>\n
\"The ban denies the people's right to freedom of association,\"
\nspokesman Hendardi said in a press release on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The government has repeatedly refused to recognize SBSI as a
\nlabor union, saying the organization was established by
\npoliticians and not by workers. (rms)<\/p>",
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