Workers want withdrawal of discriminatory decree

Workers want withdrawal of discriminatory decree

JAKARTA (JP): More than 600 workers loyal to the current
leadership of the Federation of All Indonesian Workers Union
demonstrated at the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday to push the
government to lift what they said was a discriminatory
ministerial decree.

Minister of Manpower Decree No. 5/1998 makes it obligatory for
labor unions to register with the government, a ruling which they
said contradicted the ILO convention on freedom of association.

Holding banners reading: "Annul ministerial decree No. 5,'
"Revoke the 1998 labor law," and "Stop dismissing workers", the
protesters, all of whom came from the Greater Jakarta area, vowed
to continue the campaign until the government acquiesced to their
demands.

"We need freedom of association, not a ruling that bans us
from unionizing freely. We don't need government intervention,"
said a worker.

Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris recently stated his refusal
to lift the decree aimed at regulating labor unions.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, Alexander Sinaga vowed to
return to the ministry with 10,000 workers from the Greater
Jakarta area to press the minister to lift the decree.

"We have also written to President B.J. Habibie demanding that
he reform the labor sector by, among other things, appointing a
(new) manpower minister who is committed to helping workers who
have been repressed for more than three decades," he said.

Alexander accused the minister of issuing the decree to create
friction in the Federation of All Indonesian Workers Union and
weaken it in preparation for a takeover attempt by the ruling
Golkar.

"We will gather around 10,000 workers at the manpower ministry
in the near future to press the minister to lift the ... decree.

"If he declines to lift it, we will ask him to stand down. It
is useless to have a manpower minister who does not fight for
workers' interests," he said.

He cited the International Labor Organization (ILO) decree,
ratified by Indonesia in June, which guarantees workers the
freedom of association.

FSPSI chairman Datuk Bagindo said the decree was responsible
for the friction which is currently dogging the union.

"Sectoral trade union executives rebelled following issue of
the decree on July 12. They set up an alternative central board
and held a congress to gain legal and official recognition," he
explained.

Datuk said that he had been working with several members of
the central board to bring about a reconciliation in the union at
a congress next February.

He said all sectoral trade unions were being encouraged to
hold congresses to elect new leaders to head their delegations to
the FSPSI congress.

C.H. David, president of the breakaway faction of the FSPSI,
said his federation's executive board would take up Datuk's call
for peace, provided the union was first reformed and then managed
in a professional manner. (rms)