Apindo alarmed by violent strikes

Apindo alarmed by violent strikes

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo)
expressed deep concern on Wednesday over the increasing wave of
violent labor strikes, which it said had affected the business
climate in the country.

Willy H. Rawung, Apindo's deputy treasurer, said numerous
foreign investors had postponed investing in Indonesia because of
violent labor strikes and the absence of legal certainty.

"A number of investors from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and
South Korea have postponed entering Indonesia because of the
anarchistic labor strikes and weak law enforcement," he told
journalists here on Friday.

He cited as examples the recent burning of a factory in
Tangerang, violent labor strikes at the House of Representatives
and the beating of a businessman in Surabaya, East Java.

Rawung criticized the government for failing to enforce the
law, to promote industrial relations and provide security
guarantees for employers.

"Most employers have no objection to labor strikes provided
they are in accordance with legal procedures," he said.

He said the government should take measures against employers
violating the law as well as against violent labor rallies.

He regretted that in the past seven months of being the
manpower minister, Bomer Pasaribu had yet to make any progress in
solving labor disputes and promoting better industrial relations.

Rawung, who will represent Apindo at the June 14 International
Labor Conference in Geneva, said the poor situation in Indonesia
would not support a speech at the meeting by President
Abdurrahman Wahid promoting investment in Indonesia.

"Despite a good presidential speech at the meeting, the
international community will not believe in the government's
commitment to legal certainty in Indonesia. The President's
speech will be just rhetoric," he said. (rms)