Unions unable to improve workers' welfare<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Judge Suprapto handed down a verdict of two months and 14 days
\nto a young labor activist in Tangerang for stealing a pair of
\nreject sandals from the factory where he worked.<\/p>\n
Despite the verdict, delivered early this year, Hamdani bin
\nIjin maintained that he did not steal the reject sandals from PT
\nOsaga Mas Utama in Tangerang.<\/p>\n
He argued that he and other workers in the factory normally
\nwore such sandals while bathing before they performed Friday
\nprayers at the factory compound.<\/p>\n
According to many labor activists, Hamdani's actual sin might
\nnot be that he stole the reject sandals, but rather that he was
\nan active member of the union.<\/p>\n
Hamdani had organized rallies to demand salary increases and
\nstaged protests against the dismissal of nine of his fellow
\nworkers by the company.<\/p>\n
His fight, however, died down as soon as he was brought to
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Labor activists saw the case, popularly known as the sandal
\njepit case, as an example of the commonplace conspiracy between
\nemployers and the security forces to weaken the labor movement in
\nlabor-intensive companies. Most of the time, it is effective.<\/p>\n
The case could also illustrate the immaturity of the labor
\nmovement in the country, that quickly loses its grips as soon as
\nthe leaders are gone.<\/p>\n
\"In practice, the coercion and intimidation of labor activists
\nstill exists despite the demise of the New Order administration,\"
\nsaid Dita Indah Sari, a leading labor activist.<\/p>\n
Dita, chairwoman of the National Front for the Struggle of
\nIndonesian Workers (FNPBI), said that currently, employers often
\ncollaborated with the police to charge labor activists with
\ndefamation.<\/p>\n
The move is clearly aimed at curbing the labor movement.<\/p>\n
In addition to coercion, Dita asserted that worsening economic
\nconditions posed a far more damaging threat to the labor
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
According to Dita, the prolonged crisis had reduced the
\nbargaining power of workers. With 40 million people categorized
\nas unemployed, it would be easy for employers to find a
\nreplacement for undesirable workers.<\/p>\n
These two factors -- coercion and the high rate of
\nunemployment -- prevent workers from taking the benefit of their
\nnew-found freedom, including the freedom to unionize and freedom
\nto strike.<\/p>\n
Now is the time for labor unions to strengthen their position,
\nlabor experts suggested.<\/p>\n
One of the ways would be for unions to stay financially
\nindependent.<\/p>\n
According to labor expert Fauzi Abdullah, less than 10 percent
\nof around 40 national labor unions and hundreds of other loosely
\norganized labor organizations are able to finance half of their
\nactivities from membership fees.<\/p>\n
The others rely on outside funds, and this explain why they
\nare unable to stay independent.<\/p>\n
\"If this is the case, then, the executives of such unions
\nwould be more obligated to meet project targets from donors
\nrather than from members,\" Fauzi said.<\/p>\n
Only labor unions at state companies could independently
\nfinance their activities. But still, their independence was
\nquestionable as sometimes they fought for the interests of their
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
Another questionable factor is that those unions were
\nestablished with the help of international non-governmental
\norganizations or political organizations.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Workers Struggle (FNPBI), an extension
\norganization of the People's Democratic Party (PRD), serves as a
\ngood example.<\/p>\n
Such organizations surely have weaknesses, as they will be
\nused for certain political interests, and disregard the basic
\nfight for the welfare of the workers. Furthermore they fail to
\ncreate a collective awareness of workers' rights.<\/p>\n
The country had seen the failure of the Federation of All
\nIndonesian Labor Unions (FSPSI), established in 1973, in fighting
\nfor workers' rights because they were financially dependent on
\nthe ruling party at that time.<\/p>\n
This government-sanctioned union was then even used by the
\nruling Golkar Party to reach its target to recruit workers into
\nthe party's membership.<\/p>\n
Now, the one labor union policy has gone. Currently, it is
\nvery easy to establish a labor union. A group of 10 people can go
\ndirectly to the local manpower office to register a labor union.
\nBut, their fight for better welfare still has a long way to go as
\nIndonesia's minimum wage of around US$35 per month is the lowest
\nin Asia, after Bangladesh.<\/p>",
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