Trade unions are part of social infrastructure

Trade unions are part of social infrastructure

JAKARTA (JP): Free trade unions are an important part of an
industrial society's infrastructures, director of the
International Labor Organization's Jakarta office, Herman van der
Laan, said yesterday.

Van der Laan warned that continued repression of labor unions
may have detrimental effects on the long term growth of a nation,
including Indonesia.

If trade unions were denied their role in society, "it is most
likely to become a break in Indonesia's development," he said
during the presentation of the organization's newly released
report, World Employment 1995.

The organization's report included finding a connection
between the repression of trade unions to economic failures or
successes in developing countries.

The report is the first comprehensive analysis on the effects
of the globalization of production, employment and trade. It was
published as a guideline for the upcoming World Summit on Social
Development in Copenhagen from March 6 to 12.

President Soeharto will lead the Indonesian delegation which
will include officials from both government and Non-Governmental
Organizations.

"Was the repression of trade unions a component of the Asian
development model? If so, was it necessary for economic success?"
the report asked.

The 200-page report found that "trade union freedoms were
indeed curtailed in many Asian countries." However, it was
dubious on the second question.

Despite the report's inconclusive findings, Van der Laan
argued that once a developing nation reaches a particular stage,
then unions become a necessity.

"Up to a certain level of economic development, it becomes
counter productive," he said on the toleration towards such
restraints.

Elaborating further on the objectives of the upcoming Social
Development Summit, Van der Laan said that through the report the
organization was advocating the need for full employment.

"Social and economic progress can only be achieved if the full
potential of the adult population is utilized," he explained.

Among the policies being set forth by the organization are a
set of internationally coordinated macro economic policies along
with adjustments at the national level in relation to the growth
augmenting benefits of the global economy.

The final policy components necessary are socially enlightened
policies which uplift labor standards and deal with long term
unemployment, poverty and income distribution.

"This is the organization's contribution to the discussions in
the summit," Van der Laan said. (mds)