RI to defend trade union policy in ILO meeting

RI to defend trade union policy in ILO meeting

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is set to defend its policy of one
government-sanctioned labor union when it takes part in the
upcoming International Labor Organization in Geneva on June 6-23.

Director General for Industrial Relations and Labor Standards
Suwarto said yesterday that Indonesia expects some industrialized
countries to attack its trade union policy.

The Indonesian government recognizes the SPSI (All Indonesian
Workers Union) as the only legal labor union and refuses to be
shaken by the West's criticism that the government here is
suppressing the freedom of association.

"Developed countries should not pressure Indonesia and other
developing countries into accepting their concept of freedom of
association," Suwarto told The Jakarta Post.

"Every nation has its own right to determine the most suitable
form of trade union which is compatible with the local values,"
he stated.

Suwarto said that a recent ILO meeting in Geneva, which made
preparations for June's 82nd ILO conference, was held by
developed nations to make the Third World revise Convention No.
98 on the freedom of association, which it believes needs to be
implemented in its broader, international meaning.

"What is good in the United States is not necessarily good for
Indonesia," he said, adding that Indonesia had ratified the ILO
convention but it has been enforced in accordance with socio-
political conditions.

He said it was impossible for Indonesia to adopt the Western
concept of freedom of association due to differing political,
social and cultural backgrounds.

The labor situation in Indonesia will be plunged into chaos if
the West's labor system is applied here, he added. "History has
proven that the establishment of many labor organizations in the
past resulted in political chaos."

The SPSI came about as a federation merging 23 labor unions in
1973. It became a union in 1985 but reverted back to its original
form as a federation last year.

"It is not true to say that there is no freedom of association
for workers in Indonesia since its implementation is made in
accordance with prevailing conditions in the country," he said.

Suwarto argued that Western countries should also take into
consideration the quality of workers in Indonesia when they are
criticizing the labor record.

"Just imagine, most Indonesian workers are elementary school
graduates or drop outs and only 11 percent of them have joined
the labor organization," he said.

If more labor organizations are established, Suwarto said,
they will become weaker and there will be more opportunity for
certain anti-government groups to use them to serve their
political interests.

"But," he added, "the more united the workers are, the
stronger they will be in bargaining with their employers."

He said many labor organizations in developed countries were
fusing into one or two unions to strengthen their bargaining
power.

"Australia, which has dozens of labor unions, has set up a
confederation as an umbrella for trade unions in the industrial
sector. The United States which had two labor unions in the past
now has only one labor union, the AFL-CIO," he said.

Suwarto said that Indonesia and other developing countries
would try to prevent the international ILO meeting from making
new conventions or revising old conventions.

"We have ratified many conventions but have yet to fully
implement them because we have no ability to do so," he said.
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