Motivating Indonesia's workers movement

Motivating Indonesia's workers movement

On Tuesday, Indonesian Workers Day was officially commemorated at the Senayan Convention Hall. On that occasion, with the Minister of Manpower and other ministers of the cabinet attending, President Soeharto once again called on all parties to treat our workers as partners in the Pancasila industrial relations system.

Worker strikes still occur although reportedly with less frequency then before. It is to be hoped that this is the result of improvements in their working environments and conditions. The minimum regional wage regulations have also helped promote a relationship that is based on the principle of partnership between workers, employers and the government.

The use of the word "workers" in place of "laborers" has a positive objective, which is to disassociate the word from its old context in which the labor movement was a revolutionary movement based on class struggle.

This change of terminology, however, is in no way meant to curb the movement. The new basis is one of partnership in companies, industries, factories, plantations or wherever the workers make their living.

This principle must be understood by all the parties involved. The partnership principle in no way diminishes the workers' right to their lot. This is why strikes as a last resort are still possible and tolerated.

-- Kompas, Jakarta