'SPSI has done little for workers': Imam
'SPSI has done little for workers': Imam
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI), long criticized for allegedly doing little in defending workers' rights, will start today its fifth congress.
President Soeharto will open the gathering at the State Palace this morning, while Vice President Try Sutrisno is scheduled to close it on Sunday.
Outgoing chairman Imam Sudarwo is preparing to give an account of his five-year tenure to the congress and take his leave by taking a critical view of the organization.
He told The Jakarta Post yesterday that workers should be given their rights to assemble and be allowed to join other labor unions. His stance is contrary to that of the government, which has repeatedly stated that workers should choose SPSI because it is the sole recognized worker union.
"We can no longer press workers to join the union because it has proven to be less than effective in representing workers," he said in an interview. The union "has done only little for workers since its establishment in 1973", he said.
As an example of the union's poor performance, he said that of 40,000 companies employing 25 workers and more, only 25 percent have established collective labor agreements with their workers. The agreements are meant to better protect workers' rights.
In addition, out of approximately 33 million paid workers in Indonesia, only 11 percent have joined the union, he said. "In fact, this lack of professionalism on the part of SPSI is the reason why many workers want to set up their own labor unions," he said.
"This is a tragedy and a challenge as well for SPSI," he said. "Workers are reluctant to join SPSI because they know they will gain nothing from it."
Imam said workers should be allowed to form other labor unions because they have the right to do so. These rights, he said, are guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution and International Labor Organization Convention No. 98 that has been ratified by Indonesia.
"Indonesia wouldn't be able to compete in the international market unless it has workers with high productivity," he said, adding that workers need their rights to assemble in order to boost their productivity.
The International Labor Organization and several other organizations, such as the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, have criticized Indonesia's labor and human rights records several times.
The government has persistently refused to recognize the Independent Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), chaired by Muchtar Pakpahan, and the Independent Labor Union (SBM), led by human rights activist H.J.C. Princen.
The government only allows workers to set up units of SPSI at work places.
Imam said he hoped the congress would result in programs to better protect workers, as well as make the organization more professional and independent.
The congress, to be held in Caringin, West Java, is also expected to see workers unions at the level of industrial sectors playing a greater role in representing workers.
The workers union is expected to focus its attention on organizational matters, such as establishing policies, and leave the matters of industrial relations to the unions in the industrial sectors.
SPSI Deputy Secretary General Wilhelmus Bokha said the congress should be able to develop strong leadership from among the workers.
"SPSI doesn't need politicians to lead it. It needs labor activists," he said.
Bokha, one of nine candidates nominated for the presidium, also said the labor organization needs professional figures who understood labor matters, including workers rights and their role in supporting the economic development.
When asked about his personal plans, he said he had no ambition to lead the organization. However, "If I were elected, I would work hard to develop concrete programs to improve workers' welfare," he said. (rms)