'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)