Latief foresees industrial disputes will increase

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, predicting that the number of industrial disputes in Indonesia will increase, appealed to the workers union and employers yesterday to work together to help defuse possible tensions.

"The rising number of conflicts between workers and employers is a logical consequence of the industrialization process which the nation is going through now," Latief said in a written speech to a seminar on legal protection for workers.

The number of industrial disputes in Indonesia increased from 344 in 1992 to over 360 in 1993 and it is expected to increase again this year, he said in the speech read by his aide, Yunus Samad.

"The thing to do now is to anticipate these disputes and contain the problems so they don't disrupt the national development and the industrialization program," he said.

The government and employers should continue to realize their respective functions in ensuring harmonious labor relations, while the workers union must strengthen itself and become more professional in looking after the interests of its members, he said.

"All sides should respect Pancasila Industrial Relations and comply with the laws to ensure the industrial harmony," he said.

The Pancasila Industrial Relations concept encourages workers and employers to engage in negotiations to resolve their differences rather than having the workers going on strike, although strikes are allowed by law.

Latief also promised that the government will review many of the labor laws that are already out of date.

Normal

The one-day seminar, organized by the School of Law of the University Atmajaya, also featured officials of the Ministry of Manpower, the Association for Indonesian Businessmen (Apindo) and the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI).

Latief said that labor conflicts were bound to increase with more and more people now shifting from the agriculture sector to work in the industrial and service sector. "It is normal and logical if labor problems related to industrial relations and legal protection for workers are rising."

In addition, with the political openness and democratization now being pursued in Indonesia, more and more workers are beginning to understand their rights and are demanding that their employers respect them, he said.

Anthonius Soedjadi, dean of the university's school of law, in his paper called on the government and employers to comply with all labor legislations and respect workers' right to create harmony in their own industries.

"The labor laws are clear and complete," he said. "But in their enforcement, the workers have a weaker bargaining position and are often victimized."

If the government, employers and workers abide by the laws, labor conflicts and industrial strikes would not happen, he said, adding that the laws should side with the workers because of their weaker bargaining position.

Soedjadi also questioned the government's trade union policy, especially the fact that only the SPSI is permitted to represent workers in disputes with management.

Guarantee

He pointed out that the 1945 Constitution guarantees freedom of association which he said should also extend to workers.

He called the recent reorganization of the SPSI, reverting to its former format as a federation, as a superficial move which had done nothing to encourage the establishment of truly independent unions. "Its content is the same. It's still a single organization."

The SPSI, following the reorganization last year, now oversees 13 sectoral unions.

Soedjadi also deplored the low unionization rate in Indonesia, citing SPSI's own data showing that only 7.6 percent of around 140,000 companies employing over 4.5 million workers have their SPSI units and only 1.5 percent have signed collective labor agreements with their workers.

Apindo Secretary General Ferdinandus in his paper said employers should encourage dialog with their workers to defuse potential problems.

"Management should understand and comply with the labor laws and encourage their workers to help create industrial harmony as stipulated in the Pancasila industrial relations concept," he said. (rms)