ACV-CSCIASIA.ORG, Jakarta – The Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI) is holding the 2024 National Working Meeting (Rakernas) in Bandung, West Java, 08-10 August 2024. the National Working Meeting has the theme “Building the Strength of Trade Unions in Upholding Democracy”. The 2024 KSBSI National Working Meeting was opened directly by the Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Hj. Ida Fauziyah, M.Sc.
In her speech, Minister of Manpower Ida admitted that she was happy because at the end of her term of office she was able to attend the KSBSI National Working Meeting. “I am truly happy, because at the end of my term at the Ministry of Manpower, I was able to attend one of the big events at KSBSI,” said the Minister of Manpower to all attendees at the KSBSI National Working Meeting in Bandung, West Java, Thursday (08/08/2024).
Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziyah specifically invited worker/labor organizations and also entrepreneurs together with the government to continue to echo the noble values of Pancasila Industrial Relations to realize harmonious industrial relations in companies.
Ida Fauziyah believes that by adhering to Pancasila Industrial Relations, it will be easier for industrial relations actors to create conditions for harmonious industrial relations and support the nation’s economic development.
“I want to invite industrial relations actors to implement Pancasila Industrial Relations in companies, so that business continuity and harmonious work relations will be created, so that mutual prosperity can be achieved,” said Ida Fauziyah.
Meanwhile, the President of KSBSI, Elly Rosita Silaban, highlighted the decreasing number of labor unions throughout the world, including in developed countries and in Indonesia. According to him, poverty is at an all-time high with inequality continuing to increase.
“An estimated 16.5 million people now live in extreme poverty worldwide. More than 4 billion have no access to any form of social protection.” said Elly.
According to him, this happened in the midst of a long-ignored global crisis, armed conflict, war and debt crisis, which has left more than 70 countries now on the verge of economic collapse.
“Hopefully Indonesia is not included in it,” hoped Elly.
She also examines the impact of accelerating climate change, which has claimed human lives and the livelihoods of workers around the world, while corporate power and its political allies have resisted a just transition.
In his talks at Labor 20 and also at the Wordbank meeting, only changes to renewable energy were determined, but what had to be done so that workers were prepared to face the impact of these changes were not prepared.
She also reminded that trade unions are the largest social movement in the world, which must take on the role of leading practitioners and defenders and champions of the democratic values that are currently being implemented.
ITUC and its affiliates’ campaign for democracy will maintain its foundation on 3 important elements, namely in the workplace, at the national and global levels.
“For democracy in the workplace, we affirm the right to freedom of association, to organize workers to become members of a labor union and to strike. We want collective bargaining through social channels and equal treatment for all workers,” stressed Elly.
Then, democracy at the national level, said Elly, KSBSI affirms the right to freedom of speech and protest. “We demand true gender equality, a fair and equitable tax system to fund the expansion of social protection and universal health care, quality education and public services,” She stressed.
