Main Asset for Developing Harmonious Industrial Relations in Indonesia

Indonesian traditional culture of consensus is a main asset for the country’s success in developing harmonious industrial relations, Director of UNI Asia Pacific Dr. Kun Wardana Abyoto said here Monday.

He conveyed the view when meeting with five labor union activists participating in the Seventh Asian Congress of the International Industrial Relations Association (IIRA) being held in Denpasar, Bali, for four days starting Monday morning.

Kun said labor unions and company management can promote consensus in a positive way to reduce potential disputes. "Potential dispute is very possible to be reduced," he said.

Kun explained about Vice President Boediono’s support to UNI and Indonesian’s labor unions to develop industrial relations based on harmonious partnership with entrepreneurs. The support was expressed when the vice president received an organizing committee members of the Seventh IIRA Asian Regional Congress recently, he said.

Vice President Boediono supported UNI and labor unions to develop any concrete programs because the partnership harmonious will not only promote the companies but also improve the workers’ welfare, he said.

"UNI see Indonesia as a country which is taken into account together with China, India, Brazil and Russia," Kun said.

The congress is being participated in by representatives of industries, labor unions, governments, academicians, and businessmen. Topics to be discussed in the meeting will be among other things on industrial democracy, partnership, and appropriate works needed to respond to the global financial crisis.

The agenda of the four-day congress will include a signing of the Global Framework Protocol between UNI Asia and Pacific and Telkom Indonesia, and paper presentations by dozens of academicians and researchers from leading universities in the Asia Pacific region. Indonesia’s academicians from North Sumatra University (USU), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Hasanuddin University (Unhas) and Krisnadwipayana University are also scheduled to give speeches in the international forum .

Indonesian labor union activists attending the congress are among others secretary general of labor unions association (ASPEK) Muhamad Rusdi, and general chairman of Hero’s labor union Rusdi Salam. Representatives of ANTARA’s labor union, Danamon Bank’s labor union and Makro’s labor union are also attending the congress.

Foreign participants and speakers in the congress are among others from the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, China, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.