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13 July, 2000A violent assault on trade union members of Lomenik-SBSI shows the sad reality of trade union rights in Indonesia.
INDONESIA: A serious incident has occurred in Medan, North Sumatra, where workers organised by the metalworkers' union, Lomenik-SBSI, were brutally attacked by 500 so-called "solidarity guards" wearing the SPSI uniform. The union reports that the violence was instigated by management of a company called Golgon, with the support of Manpower and Public Order authorities.
For a certain time now, Lomenik-SBSI has been organising workers at this Indonesian metal-producing company, where the 1,500 workforce had been forced to affiliate to the old official union, SPSI. However, as workers' grievances were not being dealt with by the SPSI, workers have given their support to Lomenik. Lomenik was able to officially register as a plant union one month ago and brought the claims of its members to management, who refused to recognise the plant union leaders. The recently established branch office of Lomenik, completely self-supported by the metalworkers in the region, was then attacked by fire and Molotov cocktails on June 12 and 13, 2000. Serious suspicions were raised that these incidents were provoked by the management of companies where the SBSI has ongoing conflicts, like the nearby INTAN group of companies.
Th conflict at Golgon has now escalated, with the plant union president fired and the secretary interrogated by management. On June 28, workers began a legally announced strike, followed by 100 per cent of the workers, even though the SPSI tried to dissuade them. That morning, the local Manpower authorities tried to get the conflicting parties to meet, but half an hour later they disappeared, and at that moment three trucks with the 500 so-called "solidarity guards" dressed in SPSI uniforms drove into the demonstrating workers, hitting and injuring them until the demonstration was broken up. The police and security forces watched without intervening. At the same time, the Lomenik branch office was completely destroyed by the attacking groups.
Local SPSI leaders overtly admitted being behind these events, on instigation of the company. "That," says Lomenik, "is an example of the sad reality behind the Geneva tourism talks of our political and 'majority-union' representatives."
In a letter to Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, IMF general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi expressed the IMF's concern about the "ongoing and ever-increasing labour conflicts in Indonesia. We see once again that your government considers its task finished by ratifying ILO conventions, without guaranteeing their enforcement in practice." Malentacchi urged him to take serious measures to gradually but firmly install minimum guarantees for public order and active sanctions against violence and for real freedom for workers who democratically and responsibly want to exercise their right to organise.
For a certain time now, Lomenik-SBSI has been organising workers at this Indonesian metal-producing company, where the 1,500 workforce had been forced to affiliate to the old official union, SPSI. However, as workers' grievances were not being dealt with by the SPSI, workers have given their support to Lomenik. Lomenik was able to officially register as a plant union one month ago and brought the claims of its members to management, who refused to recognise the plant union leaders. The recently established branch office of Lomenik, completely self-supported by the metalworkers in the region, was then attacked by fire and Molotov cocktails on June 12 and 13, 2000. Serious suspicions were raised that these incidents were provoked by the management of companies where the SBSI has ongoing conflicts, like the nearby INTAN group of companies.
Th conflict at Golgon has now escalated, with the plant union president fired and the secretary interrogated by management. On June 28, workers began a legally announced strike, followed by 100 per cent of the workers, even though the SPSI tried to dissuade them. That morning, the local Manpower authorities tried to get the conflicting parties to meet, but half an hour later they disappeared, and at that moment three trucks with the 500 so-called "solidarity guards" dressed in SPSI uniforms drove into the demonstrating workers, hitting and injuring them until the demonstration was broken up. The police and security forces watched without intervening. At the same time, the Lomenik branch office was completely destroyed by the attacking groups.
Local SPSI leaders overtly admitted being behind these events, on instigation of the company. "That," says Lomenik, "is an example of the sad reality behind the Geneva tourism talks of our political and 'majority-union' representatives."
In a letter to Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, IMF general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi expressed the IMF's concern about the "ongoing and ever-increasing labour conflicts in Indonesia. We see once again that your government considers its task finished by ratifying ILO conventions, without guaranteeing their enforcement in practice." Malentacchi urged him to take serious measures to gradually but firmly install minimum guarantees for public order and active sanctions against violence and for real freedom for workers who democratically and responsibly want to exercise their right to organise.