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.