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New trade union born

The new, independent trade union, the Centre for Indonesian Labour Struggle (PPBI) was launched at a congress in Ambarawa, Central Java, October 22-23. More than 100 delegates represented workers from factory committees based in Jakarta, Tangerang, Bogor, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo, Salatiga, Surabaya and Medan. The congress adopted the slogan: "Fight against oppression; win prosperity for workers."

The PPBI adopted both a general program and a program of demands. The key elements of the general program included the struggle for wage and allowance increases, improved conditions and health standards, the end of the government's cheap labour policy, the return of the workers' rights to establish their own organisations, the return of the workers' rights to free assembly, free speech and to strike, the repeal of all anti- worker regulations and laws, an end to all military intervention in industrial affairs, direct involvement of workers in all policy formulation affecting workers, removal of all discrimination against women workers and an end to child labour.

Specific demands include the establishment of a national minimum wage of Rp5000 (A$3.30) per day, the repeal of a regulation which allows only the government's yellow union, a new progressive tax system that applies only to incomes above Rp1 million (A$660) per month and the implementation of minimum redundancy payments.

PPBI is also calling for the establishment of a democratic and independent court system that will strictly implement sanctions against capitalists who violate workers rights.

The process of building factory committees has been going on for at least five years. Former students as well as young workers have formed worker support groups and later factory committees. These committees have led local factory struggles for wage improvements and the right to organise in many factories over the last few years.

PPBI is the third independent workers organisation to be established in Indonesia. Although formed only in October, it has an estimated following of between 10,000 and 15,000 workers, and is rapidly expanding.

PPBI-led strikes occurred on September 28 and again on October 24 at the Swiss Bakery plant in Jakarta. The 250 workers were demanding minimum wage payments. The local Kodim (district military command) intervened to disperse the strike and later intimidated workers in their homes.

On October 25, 200 PPBI workers at the Plastindo plastic factory at Semarang went on strike. They demonstrated outside the factory, demanding an end to unequal wages between men and women workers, reduction of the working hours from eight hours with no break to eight hours with a one-hour meal break, an increase in food allowances and the provision of a transportation allowance.

On October 26, following threats by the local Kodim against the workers, the PPBI joined the Students in Solidarity with Democracy in Indonesia (SMID) in a demonstration outside the Semarang provincial parliament. Other strikes in the Jakarta industrial area of Pluit took place in early November demanding that textile factories in the area pay minimum wages.

PPBI Program and Demands

General program

To struggle for workers' and their families' prosperity through wage increases and allowances which can fulfill their needs;

To struggle for an improvement in working conditions, health, safety and a social wage;

To abolish the policy of cheap labour as a strategy to attract foreign investment;

To reinstate workers' rights to organise independently at the national and factory level;

To reinstate workers' rights to freedom of speech, to demonstrate and strike;

To abolish all labour regulations and mechanisms of arbitration which swindle workers in the conflict with capital;

To abolish all regulations and practices of military intervention in labour disputes;

To show the active involvement of workers in arrangement policies and regulations which concern the interests of labour;

To abolish all forms and practices of discrimination against women workers;

To abolish all forms and practices of child labour (under the age of 18).

Demands

A national minimum wage of 7,000 Rupiah per day;

To abolish Department of Labour regulation Number 01/1994 in exchange for a regulation which guarantees the right to organise at the factory level outside of SPSI (the government controlled trade union);

To abolish systems of work agreements harming workers;

To abolish all wage deductions in the form of fines;

To institute a progressive taxation system for incomes of one million Rupiah or higher per month;

The withdrawal of Bakorstanas (Coordinating body for the maintenance of National Stability) decree Number 01/1990 which allows military intervention in labour cases;

To provide accommodation and rental allowances without distinguishing between trainees and permanent workers;

The rule of law, democracy and clear actions against all violations of worker rights by employers through penal sanctions;

For each dismissal where a worker is not a fault, as well as a pension, one months wages for each two years worked;

Abolish ethnic and religious discrimination in the work place.

Military regime tortures PPBI workers activists

On October 1994, one of PPBI's workers activist named Asih who works for P.T. Ganda Guna Indonesia Tangerang, was tortured and goaled for three days the KODIM offices because she lead workers in rally to the DPR RI (People's Representative Assembly). While she was being held, she was not allowed to contact, or have a lawyer present. She was badly beaten, kicked, burnt and suffered sexual abuse. The military also threatened to rape her if she refused to reveal another student activist's name who was involved in the rally.

In February, 1995 Soleh, a workers from PPBI who works at P.T. Pipa Mas in Tangerang, was kidnaped and interrogated by the military for his involvement in student-workers demonstration on 10 January 1995. Also unable to be accompanied by a lawyer, he was held for two days and tortured with cigarette burns.

On April 5, 1995 Surani, a woman worker who lead P.T. Kreasi Plastic Indotama workers in a strike in Semarang, was kidnaped by intelligence agents from the Semarang Police Districts. During interrogation she was also threatened with rape if she continued the strikes.

On April 26, 1995 Wiji Thukul and Nandar, two activist from the PPBI branch in Solo, were arrested by the police during a demonstrations in front of the Solo States Court. The demonstration was protesting a case of sexual harassment of a woman named Zaenab by her employer. During interrogation, they were beaten by police.

On May 1, 1995 Lukman, a members of PPBI's Central Committee, was arrested and tortured by intelligence agents from the Semarang Police District for his role in leading a May Day rally last month and for working in an "illegal" trade union.

On the same day, 20 workers activist from PPBI were injured when they were "struck" by police motorcycles for continuing a march to the Semarang Provincial Assembly during the May Day celebrations. A number were later admitted to hospital.