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)