Government for independent seamen's association

Government for independent seamen's association

JAKARTA (JP): The government, at the start of the
extraordinary congress of the Indonesian Seamen's Association
(KPI) on Saturday, threw its weight behind plans to make the
Association a truly independent union by withdrawing state
officials from its board.

Musni Tambusai, director-general for industrial relations and
labor standards at the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration,
said at the opening of the three-day congress that government and
military officials should no longer be allowed to lead unions.

"Democracy cannot develop in labor unions if they are led by
government officials. If civil servants and servicemen want to
unionize they should join their existing organization," Musni
said.

The extraordinary congress was held following a threat by the
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) to suspend
KPI's membership in the international trade union if state
officials and ex-servicemen still dominated the executive board.

Such a move was also in compliance with the International
Labor Organization's (ILO) Convention on freedom of association.

Tjuk Sukardiman, director-general of sea transportation at the
Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, said the
government would accept whatever the outcome of the congress.

"The government wants the congress to elect new functionaries
from its members and not from government officials at the sea
transportation directorate-general. And I guarantee the
government will not intervene in the congress and the election of
new leaders," he said.

KPI is currently chaired by Iskandar Illahude, a senior
official at the Ministry of Transportation.

Hanafie, deputy chairman of KPI's outgoing executive board,
called on the congress to discuss the prevalent corrupt practices
in the association over the last three years.

"The outgoing executive board must present an accountability
report, especially a financial one, to the congress," he said,
adding that he was ready, if needed, to give testimony and
undergo an investigation on possible financial leakages over the
last three years.

Shigeru Wada, secretary of the ITF's Asia-Pacific Region,
denied the accusation that ITF was intervening in KPI's internal
affairs.

"ITF has no intention of dictating to KPI but merely wants it
to be an independent union under the All-Indonesia Workers Union
Federation (FSPSI)," he said.

The Indonesian Labour Union Confederation (Gaspermindo),
staged a demonstration at the UN office on Friday, protesting the
ITF's intervention in KPI.

Wada further said that ITF has delayed suspending KPI's
associate membership after gaining a guarantee from FSPSI that it
would help solve the issue and reach an agreement with the
outgoing executive board on a total reform of the association.

"Later, we found the defunct executive board failed to comply
with the agreement. And this congress is the last chance for KPI
to decide whether it will stay within the ITF structure," he
said. (rms)