T

strong>The Confederation of Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions (KSBSI)

Founded by the icon of the labor movement, Muchtar Pakpahan, many people still associate the organization with Pakpahan even though he has not been involved in the organization’s day-to-day management for the past few years due to his advancing years and declining health.

Established in 1992, the SBSI (before the confederation was formed) became an alternative organization for labor activists who felt dissatisfied with the performance of the government-sanctioned All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI), which had been strongly co-opted by retired generals and government officials.

In the 1999 general elections, after the fall of Soeharto’s New Order regime, Pakpahan finally entered politics by establishing the National Labor Party, hoping to receive support from members of the labor organizations. After failing to clinch a significant number of votes, Pakpahan tried his luck again in the 2004 and 2009 general elections, but still the party scored similarly disappointing results.

Currently led by Mudhofir, one of Pakpahan’s apprentices, the KSBSI now coordinates 11 workers’ federations that contain a total of 511,000 members. Learning from past experience, Mudhofir said the organization would carefully consider before trying to enter politics again.

“Looking at the recent situation, promoting labor rights through political channels is somewhat inevitable. But we currently don’t know whether we are ready or not [to enter politics],” he said.

The Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI)

The KSPI oversees eight workers’ federations with a total of 793,000 members. The organization appointed last week labor activist Said Iqbal as its new president, replacing Thamrin Mosii, during its national congress in Bogor, West Java. Known as a labor activist with a vast network both here and overseas, Iqbal is also the president of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers’ Unions (FSPMI), the confederation’s most militant and influential federation member, which currently has 130,000 members, mostly in Bekasi, West Java. Last month, the FSPMI, together with other smaller labor unions in the area, initiated a massive labor rally in Bekasi, requesting employers to withdraw its lawsuit against the West Java administration’s decision regarding 2012 regional minimum wages.

The Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (KASBI)

The KASBI received its status as an official workers confederation in 2005. More than 30 workers’ federations currently affiliate themselves with KASBI, pooling a total of more than 130,000 members within its purview. As a seven-year-old organization, KASBI has the smallest number of members compared to the three other workers’ confederations. Despite its relatively small size, KASBI is already renowned for its militancy and ability to attract supporters to every labor rally. Members of the organization are also easily recognizable since they always wear red when staging a protest. The organization is led by female unionist Nining Elitos.

All-Indonesian Workers’ Union Confederation (KSPSI)

KSPSI is currently the oldest and largest workers’ confederation in Indonesia. It oversees 16 workers’ federations with a total of around 2 million members. In 2007, the organization split into two under the same name, one led by former manpower and transmigration minister Jacob Nuwa Wea, and the other by labor unionist Syukur Sarto. Some internal sources say their personal dispute has affected their supporters, down to the lowest levels of the organization. “It is almost impossible for supporters of the two branches of the organization to cooperate with each other because they each think their organization is the legitimate and official one,” said Imam Sukarsa, the chairman of the KSPSI’s Tangerang regency branch.