Workers are partners of their companies

President Soeharto appealed to workers to resist being easily incited by third parties in labor disputes and to insist on solving problems with management through negotiation. The President also urged entrepreneurs to readily apply the regulation obligating companies to pay the minimum wage to their employees.

The labor incidents in Medan were deplorable. Irresponsible elements used the opportunity to create chaos and turned the workers' demonstrations into riots, mass brutality and terrorism.

In the ensuing situation all parties concerned should take President Soeharto's appeal seriously in order to ensure favorable working conditions and to enhance production capacity. Greediness on the part of businessmen will only incite labor unrest, particularly in large industrial towns.

The demonstrations and strikes of late could have been prevented if the Pancasila Industrial Relationship had prevailed. This relationship rules that workers and entrepreneurs are partners who pursue a common goal. All companies must make sure they know what the Pancasila Industrial Relationship is all about and to apply it.

--Angkatan Bersenjata, Jakarta