Only 4% of firms have bipartite forum
Only 4% of firms have bipartite forum
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Only 6,000 firms, or 4 percent of the 160,000 companies across
the country, have established bipartite employee-employer forums,
a deplorably low figure that has resulted in misunderstandings
and unnecessary labor disputes, the government says.
"The establishment of bipartite forums will not replace the
role of trade unions, but rather will enlarge the role of trade
unions," Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea
said on Tuesday.
A bipartite forum is a forum involving the employer and
employees, or their trade union, to communicate and consult with
each other on manpower issues. Such forums can also be used to
settle industrial disputes.
Under the new manpower law, which came into effect at the end
of March, every company with at least 50 employees is required to
establish a bipartite forum.
In the absence of bipartite forums, workers and employers have
often been involved in industrial disputes. Workers are often
forced to resort to strikes to fight for their interests due to
the absence of the forums.
A 2002 survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO)'s
Jakarta office showed that less than 20 percent of 16 big
companies in seven provinces -- Jakarta, West Java, Banten, East
Java, East Kalimantan, Riau and North Sumatra -- had bipartite
forums.
The government and ILO disagreed, however, as to the
performance of the existing bipartite forums.
Director General for Industrial Relations at the Ministry of
Manpower and Transmigration Muzni Tambusai said during a seminar
here on Tuesday that the bipartite forums, despite their relative
rarity, had proven to be effective venues for resolving
industrial disputes, problems over dismissals, and strikes.
"Overall, 66 percent of 17,025 cases of industrial dispute,
dismissal and strike action were resolved through bipartite
forums," he said.
The ILO, however, called on the existing bipartite forums to
boost their performance.
"The bipartite forums need to improve their effectiveness,"
ILO Jakarta Director Alan Boulton said in a statement read out by
ILO acting director Patrick Quinn.
According to an ILO survey, employees were not well-informed
about their company's projects, policies and strategies.
The survey also found that Indonesian companies often failed
to involve employees in decision-making, failed to seek input
from employees, and failed to assess the feelings of the
workforce.
It also suggested that companies should adopt a more open
style of communication and obtain greater input from employees.
The ILO said it would continue its survey in another 40
companies in 12 provinces as part of the effort to promote
bipartite forums.
The ILO would also promote increased company productivity and
improved quality of products and services through Labor
Management Councils (LMCs).
"Although they will come under the umbrella of the bipartite
forums, the LMCs will only focus on how to increase productivity
and the quality of products and services, while the bipartite
forums will talk about how to distribute the wealth to all
employees," said Jose C. Gatchalian, a senior researcher from the
University of the Philippines who conducted the project.