ASEM to accept input from trade unions on labor laws

Ridwan Max Sijabat ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Nusa Dua, Bali   |  Wed, 10/15/2008 10:37 AM  |  National

Labor unions should involve themselves in future Asia-Europe Meetings (ASEM) by separately gathering input to present during the strictly governmental discourses, the second ASEM Labor Minister Summit heard.

"Despite different ideologies and political systems, workers and trade unions in Asian and European countries have common interests, especially in international labor standards such as payment, equal treatment, job security and social protection," General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation Guy Ryder said during the closing ceremony of the trade union conference in Nusa Dua on Tuesday.

The statement won unanimous support from participating countries when it, along with recommendations produced during the meeting, was officially presented to Indonesian Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno, who hosted the summit.

During a tripartite social dialog late Monday, employers and government delegates agreed to involve trade unions in ASEM procedures.

European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla said it was important that ASEM held social dialogs with employers and trade unions to promote international labor standards and to alleviate unemployment and widespread poverty in Asian countries.

Minister Erman said he promised he would set up a mechanism to ensure trade unions be heard, although he added that ASEM legislating strictly involved governments only.

"Trade unions should stage separate consultations and dialogs to channel their aspirations to the ASEM process," he said.

The chairman of the Confederation of Indonesian Prosperous Labor Unions, Rekson Silaban, called on Indonesia's trade unions to fight for inclusion in policy making on international labor standards.

"Trade unions should unite to channel workers' aspirations and play an active role in designing public policies related to workers' interests," he said.

"We should not be satisfied with the annual bargaining for regional minimum wages but, in a broader context, trade unions should be involved in designing labor policies and drafting laws on special economic zones and taxes which affect the livelihood of the majority of workers."

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), which sponsored the trade union summit, said it hoped the ASEM labor ministerial conference would make trade unions the central pillar of ASEM.

Erwin Schweisshelm, Indonesia's FES representative, said FES would continue to empower trade unions so that they could eventually assume an active role in ASEM.

Erwin said the FES had appreciated France and Germany's commitment to promote social protection and corporate social responsibility, respectively, for workers.

China and Singapore, he said, were committed to campaigning for social security and occupational health and safety, respectively.

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