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workers’ meeting in Yogyakarta has called on the government to adopt international regulations to ensure the welfare and protection for workers in the tourism industry.

Hemasari Dhatmabumi, Indonesia’s representative for the International Union of Food, Agriculture, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Association (IUF) said they, alongside the Independent Workers’ Union Federation (FSPM), would report the Indonesian government to the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), should it fail to immediately provide welfare assurance and protection to the workers.

“We demand that the Indonesian government immediately adopt the WCTE regulations and enforce the 2009 Tourism Law,” Hemasari said at the opening of the meeting in Yogyakarta on Tuesday.

The meeting was organized by the Indonesian Federation of Independent Unions (FSPM).

“If the government fails to implement the regulations, we will report the case to the WCTE,” she said

The IUF is an international federation of trade unions, representing workers from within the agricultural sector and the preparation and manufacture of food and beverages; to those working in hotels, restaurants and catering, and all stages of tobacco processing.

It is composed of 336 trade unions in 120 countries, including the FSPM.

According to Hemasari, despite the fast growth of the tourist industry, government policies have failed to provide protection to workers, with the number of contractual workers, outsourcing practices and union-busting cases on the rise.

She said there were rules about sustainable tourism in the WCTE, one of which states that socioeconomic benefits should be provided to every party fairly, alleviate poverty and maintain a stable labor relationship. The Tourism Law also stipulates that tourism should improve the welfare of all parties.

— JP/Bambang Muryanto