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