Union irked by Korpri statement

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) has denounced the statement of the chairman of the civil servants' organization (Korpri) that members who quit Korpri would no longer be in public service.

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, SBSI chief Muchtar Pakpahan said the chairman, Feisal Tamin, clearly showed a lack of understanding of international conventions on freedom of association.

Feisal made the remark in response to the announcement of Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus that the Korpri unit at his ministry was being disbanded based on members' agreement that it served no purpose.

In the past observers said the main use of Korpri was to ensure votes for Golkar from civil servants.

Muchtar, who was jailed during the New Order regime, reminded Feisal that Indonesia is a member of The World Confederation of Labor. He charged Feisal's remark was in violation of a convention of the International Labor Organization stating that the government should refrain from intervention in freedom of association.