Rights commission proposes merger of SPSI and SBSI

Rights commission proposes merger of SPSI and SBSI

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission of Human Rights joined
in an appeal, yesterday, for the two major workers' unions in
Indonesia -- one of which is not officially recognized -- to
merge into one organization.

Commission Secretary General Baharuddin Lopa was quoted by the
Antara news agency as saying that he had considered a merger back
in February and communicated this during a meeting to Minister of
Manpower Abdul Latief.

He said the government should either recognize the Indonesian
Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) or merge it with the All Indonesian
Workers Union (SPSI), "so that the workers' struggle to secure
their rights can be made more effective."

SBSI officials have made several visits to the headquarter of
the National Commission on Human Rights, each time complaining
about harassments against their leaders and members.

The SBSI has been challenging the government's policy of
recognizing the SPSI as the only organization allowed to
represent workers in negotiations with management.

The government has fallen short of declaring SBSI illegal but
it has also refused to give its official recognition.

Lopa said Minister Latief, responding to the proposal, said he
would study the matter but had not commented on the matter since
then.

Earlier, a similar appeal came from Sanjeeva Reedy, an
executive of the International Confederation of Free Trade Union
(ICFTU), during a visit here.

More effective

Sanjeeva reportedly said that a merger between the two unions
would make the workers' struggle in Indonesia more effective and
also facilitate the admission of an Indonesian union into ICFTU,
which has its headquarters in Brussels.

ICFTU, with which 124 unions from various countries are now
affiliated, has not accepted either the SPSI or the SBSI because
neither of them fulfills the requirements, according to the
Antara report.

Although not officially accredited, SBSI has been able to
enlist workers into its union, mostly from those who had been
discontent at the poor performance of SPSI in representing their
interests.

SBSI however has ran into troubled waters following the
massive workers' riots in Medan last April, which left one
businessman dead and dozens of factories damaged.

The rebel union has been blamed for masterminding the riots.
Its chairman Muchtar Pakpahan has been questioned as a possible
suspect although he has not yet been arrested.

SPSI officials, reacting to the proposals for mergers, said
they would welcome SBSI workers into their ranks but they will
not be permitted to carry the SBSI banners.

Last year, SPSI reverted to its old format as a confederation
which oversees 13 sectoral unions. (emb)