APSN | The fight for workers rights in Indonesia

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Introduction

Solidarity with the Indonesian workers' and democracy movement

Since 1990 the democracy movement in Indonesia has grown dramatically. Many new groups have emerged often overshadowing the earlier initiatives. Most important of these have been those building a base among key sectors of society, especially workers, students and farmers.

The Solidaritas Mahasiswa Indonesia untuk Demokrasi SMID - Students in Solidarity with Democracy) has emerged as the strongest and most active among students. It has also joined the international student movement as an affiliate of the Asian Students Association (ASA).

There has also been a great deal of development in relation to the workers movement. Support groups for workers have mushroomed. At least 18 of these have joined together to form the Forum Solidaritas Buruh Indonesia (FORSOL - Indonesian Workers Solidarity Forum).

In addition to the worker support groups, there have been several attempts to establish independent trade unions. This has had to be done against the wishes of the Indonesian dictatorship which implements a policy of recognising only one trade union, the SPSI (Serikat Pekerja Seluruh Indonesia - All Indonesia Workers Union). There are several independent unions now, but the two most important are: Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia (PPBI - Centre for Indonesian Labour Struggle.)

This Dossier Aims to do Several Things:

Describe in a form useful to solidarity activists the general economic and political conditions faced by Indonesian workers provide information about the activities and program of the two major independent trade union initiatives, the SBSI and PPBI provide information on the relationship that is developing between the Australian and Indonesian governments and the Australian Council for Trade Unions (ACTU) and the SPSI. ASIET is committed to building support in Australia for both the general democratic movement in Indonesia, in all its forms, as well as the Indonesian workers movement. This dossier is aimed, of course, at helping build solidarity with the Indonesian workers' movement.

Campaign priorities

In this respect, ASIET has set itself three campaign priorities. First, we want to help make sure that information circulates amongst Australian workers and trade unionists about the real situation in Indonesia. To this end, ASIET not only produces dossiers such as this but general leaflets for free distribution. ASIET speakers are also available to speak at trade union meetings. ASIET also makes contact with the media on the issue which, for example, led to the excellent 1994 SBS Dateline program on Indonesian labour.

Secondly, ASIET is trying to provide material and political support to the PPBI with whom it has developed a close working relationship. ASIET has launched a "Fund a PPBI" organiser campaign. Given the desperately low wages of Indonesian workers, it is difficult for a trade union to sustain itself financially. We are hoping that Australian trade unions, delegates' committees and individual union members and workers willing to donate money to the PPBI to help it pay the living allowance for its full time organisers.

ASIET also organised for solidarity messages from Australian unions be sent to PPBI when it took the historic initiative this year of organising rallies on May Day to launch a national campaign for wage increases.

Thirdly, ASIET is responding to the appeal from FORSOL, SBSI and PPBI to fight the support and de facto recognition that the Australian government and the ACTU are giving to the Indonesian dictatorship's "Ministry for Labour" and its puppet union, the SPSI, with its fake so-called sectoral affiliates. This is why ASIET has been demonstrating outside the ACTU, campaigning through the media, providing information to trade unions affiliated to the ACTU about the real role of the SPSI and Suharto's Ministry of Labour.

ASIET hopes that activists will find this dossier useful and will join the campaign to support the Indonesian democratic movement, and the new trade unions, such as the PPBI and to fight the Australian government's and the ACTU's support for the SPSI.