Latief foresees industrial disputes will increase<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, predicting
\nthat the number of industrial disputes in Indonesia will
\nincrease, appealed to the workers union and employers yesterday
\nto work together to help defuse possible tensions.<\/p>\n
\"The rising number of conflicts between workers and employers
\nis a logical consequence of the industrialization process which
\nthe nation is going through now,\" Latief said in a written speech
\nto a seminar on legal protection for workers.<\/p>\n
The number of industrial disputes in Indonesia increased from
\n344 in 1992 to over 360 in 1993 and it is expected to increase
\nagain this year, he said in the speech read by his aide, Yunus
\nSamad.<\/p>\n
\"The thing to do now is to anticipate these disputes and
\ncontain the problems so they don't disrupt the national
\ndevelopment and the industrialization program,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government and employers should continue to realize their
\nrespective functions in ensuring harmonious labor relations,
\nwhile the workers union must strengthen itself and become more
\nprofessional in looking after the interests of its members, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"All sides should respect Pancasila Industrial Relations and
\ncomply with the laws to ensure the industrial harmony,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Pancasila Industrial Relations concept encourages workers
\nand employers to engage in negotiations to resolve their
\ndifferences rather than having the workers going on strike,
\nalthough strikes are allowed by law.<\/p>\n
Latief also promised that the government will review many of
\nthe labor laws that are already out of date.<\/p>\n
Normal<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar, organized by the School of Law of the
\nUniversity Atmajaya, also featured officials of the Ministry of
\nManpower, the Association for Indonesian Businessmen (Apindo) and
\nthe All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI).<\/p>\n
Latief said that labor conflicts were bound to increase with
\nmore and more people now shifting from the agriculture sector to
\nwork in the industrial and service sector. \"It is normal and
\nlogical if labor problems related to industrial relations and
\nlegal protection for workers are rising.\"<\/p>\n
In addition, with the political openness and democratization
\nnow being pursued in Indonesia, more and more workers are
\nbeginning to understand their rights and are demanding that their
\nemployers respect them, he said.<\/p>\n
Anthonius Soedjadi, dean of the university's school of law, in
\nhis paper called on the government and employers to comply with
\nall labor legislations and respect workers' right to create
\nharmony in their own industries.<\/p>\n
\"The labor laws are clear and complete,\" he said. \"But in
\ntheir enforcement, the workers have a weaker bargaining position
\nand are often victimized.\"<\/p>\n
If the government, employers and workers abide by the laws,
\nlabor conflicts and industrial strikes would not happen, he said,
\nadding that the laws should side with the workers because of
\ntheir weaker bargaining position.<\/p>\n
Soedjadi also questioned the government's trade union policy,
\nespecially the fact that only the SPSI is permitted to represent
\nworkers in disputes with management.<\/p>\n
Guarantee<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the 1945 Constitution guarantees freedom
\nof association which he said should also extend to workers.<\/p>\n
He called the recent reorganization of the SPSI, reverting to
\nits former format as a federation, as a superficial move which
\nhad done nothing to encourage the establishment of truly
\nindependent unions. \"Its content is the same. It's still a single
\norganization.\"<\/p>\n
The SPSI, following the reorganization last year, now oversees
\n13 sectoral unions.<\/p>\n
Soedjadi also deplored the low unionization rate in Indonesia,
\nciting SPSI's own data showing that only 7.6 percent of around
\n140,000 companies employing over 4.5 million workers have their
\nSPSI units and only 1.5 percent have signed collective labor
\nagreements with their workers.<\/p>\n
Apindo Secretary General Ferdinandus in his paper said
\nemployers should encourage dialog with their workers to defuse
\npotential problems.<\/p>\n
\"Management should understand and comply with the labor laws
\nand encourage their workers to help create industrial harmony as
\nstipulated in the Pancasila industrial relations concept,\" he
\nsaid. (rms)<\/p>",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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