Nuwa Wea plans to improve labor conditions

Nuwa Wea plans to improve labor conditions

JAKARTA (JP): The appointment of Jacob Nuwa Wea as the new
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration took many by surprise
because of his being well-known as a strong supporter of workers'
struggle for better welfare, which often clashes with employers.
He is still chairman of the All-Indonesia Workers Union
Federation (FSPSI).

Nuwa Wea, who is also a legislator of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), shares his views
and plans with The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat in a recent
interview.

Question: What are your comments about your appointment as
minister of manpower and transmigration?

Answer: I did not believe it when President Megawati announced
the Cabinet lineup. I was on a field visit in South Sulawesi at
the time. I never dreamt of becoming a cabinet minister.

Q: How was the reaction of your friends and relatives to your
appointment?

A: I was overwhelmed by well-wishers. They said my appointment
was a victory for workers. There is nothing really new about my
job because I have long been involved in the labor cause.

Q: Will you resign from the All-Indonesia Workers Union
Federation (FSPSI)?

A: It depends on the labor union. I will resign if the union
wants me to do so. The most important thing is that I am willing
to cooperate with all unions, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (Kadin) and the Indonesian Employers Association
(Apindo) to build peaceful industrial relations as well as to
improve labor conditions in the country.

Q: What will you do in the immediate future?

A: I have many things to do to cope with the prolonged unrest
among workers and the large number of industrial disputes. First,
I will ensure the manpower and transmigration ministry and its
offices in the regions are open for both employers and workers
without any complicated protocol procedures.

I'll be available for contact 24 hours a day on the phone. We
will have a crisis center and a P.O. box to help solve labor
disputes and accommodate workers' complaints.

I will also cooperate with coordinating ministers and other
related ministers to seek a better solution to all economic and
unemployment problems the nation is facing.

I must do this to avoid unrest among workers and to start
creating a conducive climate for both workers and investors. I
will try my best to provide a good example in handling labor
affairs, something which the previous governments have failed to
do.

Q: What are your main priorities for the next three years?

A: First of all, we will develop a strong labor planning and
development system with a set of labor laws that all sides have
to comply with.

Both employers and workers will be encouraged to abide by the
labor laws to help create industrial harmony and to minimize
industrial disputes and labor strikes. We will strengthen
bipartite and tripartite agencies both at the company and
national levels to build better communications between management
and workers.

The government will ask the House of Representatives to speed
up the deliberation of the bills on settlement of labor disputes
and on labor protection.

Many industrial strikes occurred in the past because the
previous governments failed to enforce the labor laws. Workers
will go on strike if their rights are not respected.

In addition, the government will reactivate all labor training
centers nationwide and encourage medium and large-scale companies
to have their own training programs to improve the quality of
workers and job seekers. Most workers receive low salaries and
job seekers find it difficult to get jobs because of their low
skills.

We will enhance cooperation with the education ministry to
make use of the existing 150 vocational training centers to cope
with the disparity between the education system and the industry.

The government will also make a law to facilitate labor export
to help ease unemployment. About 40 million people are jobless.
The planned reactivation of training centers is also expected to
help improve the quality of Indonesian workers who will be sent
overseas. Labor recruitment agencies will be encouraged, with the
bill on labor protection, to improve professionalism to help
Indonesian workers abroad.

Q: What are your plans on transmigration?

A: The government will discontinue the transmigration program
because more and more people are able to migrate on their own.

The most pressing problem the government has to solve is the
displaced migrants in Madura, East Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku
and North Sumatra.

The ministry will handle the refugee problem in coordination
with the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.