All Indonesian Workers Union to be led by presidium
All Indonesian Workers Union to be led by presidium
CARINGIN, West Java (JP): The structure of the All Indonesian
Workers Union (SPSI) will be changed from a centralized
organization into a federation, which will give greater say to
industrial sectors.
The decision was made yesterday during the ongoing SPSI
congress here. The participants also decided that the
organization will be led by a presidium whose tasks are mainly to
establish policies and deal with organizational matters.
Endang Thamrin, who chairs Commission B for organizational
matters, said the congress has adopted a decision made at last
year's leadership meeting, when it was suggested that the labor
organization be led by a presidium.
The membership of the presidium will be determined by a nine-
member electoral team. The team itself consists of one
representative from the organization's central board, four union
representatives from various industrial sectors, and four others
from SPSI's provincial chapters.
The central leadership board appointed Deputy Chairman Datuk
Bagindo as their representative on the team. The 13 sectors chose
the SPSI chairman in charge of trade and banking Bomer Pasaribu;
Tosari Wijaya of the cigarette, tobacco, food and beverage union;
Hikayat Atika Karya of the metal, electronic and machinery union;
and Syukur Sarto of the construction and public works union.
The provincial chapters of SPSI have yet to appoint their
representatives to the team. Negotiations have stalled because of
bickering between the provincial chapters of West Java and East
Java.
The eight provincial chapters of Sumatra agreed to appoint
West Sumatra chapter leaders to be their voice at the congress.
Four Kalimantan provincial chapters are being represented by
Central Kalimantan, while four Sulawesi provincial chapters
agreed to be represented by South Sulawesi.
The four provincial chapters of Java were scheduled yesterday
to meet and appoint their representative.
Endang said yesterday that the reforms and the establishment
of a presidium leadership were expected to help the labor union
be more professional in handling industrial relations.
Congress sources told The Jakarta Post that SOKSI and Kosgoro,
two influential organizations affiliated with the ruling
political grouping Golkar, were competing head-on to lead the
presidium.
"With the appointment of Bomer Pasaribu and Syukur Sarto, both
from SOKSI, the presidium might be dominated by SOKSI," one of
the sources said.
The sources said they believed SPSI, the only labor
organization recognized by the government, would remain unpopular
to workers because the organization is dominated by
unprofessional Golkar officials.
The electoral team is scheduled to meet today to elect the
presidium's members and the size of the membership.
Meanwhile, the government turned down the union's call
yesterday that it revoke a ministerial decree on the
establishment of labor unions at companies. The decree, SPSI
leaders claim, tramples the workers' right to associate.
Director General for Industrial Relations and Labor Standards
Suwarto said the 1994 decree was actually issued to encourage
workers to join SPSI and thus strengthen their bargaining
position. (rms)