Mr. Erman Suparno, Indonesian Minister of Manpower and Transmigration:

"The level of development in labour and employment remains a huge challenge for Indonesia"

One of the subjects on the agenda of the 116th IPU Assembly in Nusa Dua (Bali, Indonesia) is employment in a globalized world. We have asked the Indonesian Minister of Manpower and Transmigration, Mr. Erman Suparno, to give us his views. Interview.

Q: What is the impact of globalization on the employment agenda in Indonesia?
Mr. Erman Suparno: Globalization has produced many opportunities and challenges in the world of work. The opportunities for the developing world, including in Indonesia, are the chances to obtain and fill job opportunities overseas, through the placement of Indonesian overseas workers. So far, Indonesia has placed approximately four million overseas workers. The Government of Indonesia has from time to time encouraged bilateral cooperation in the form of memoranda of understanding on the placement and protection of migrant workers, for example with Asian and Pacific countries such as Korea and Malaysia and with Middle Eastern countries like Kuwait and Jordan.

Q: Concretely, what does bilateral cooperation mean?
E.S.: In the bilateral agreements, Indonesia encourages non-discrimination, equal rights at work, and protection of workers for the duration of their employment contract. In most cases, Indonesian overseas workers stay for two years, as stipulated in the contract of employment, unless otherwise agreed. In 2006, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, established a National Board for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers, which answers directly to the President but whose day-to-day work is coordinated with the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration. This new structure will hopefully reduce the number of individual cases of Indonesian overseas workers and at the same time promote awareness among all stakeholders of how better to manage Indonesian overseas workers. In the meantime, in order to encourage better employment services, Indonesia is going to establish an on-line international labour market for easy use by job seekers. The impact of globalization may also introduce people to work in the informal sectors. For this reason, the government encourages the participation of the informal sector in creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurship at the local level.

Q: Can you please elaborate on the concept of decent work?
E.S.: ILO has introduced the concept of decent work, which comprises four pillars: job creation, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue. The concept has been well received in Indonesia, as our 1945 Constitution and its amendments accommodate the concepts of decent lives and decent work. In reality, this concept was introduced soon after independence, although its implementation has been uneven. The level of development in the area of labour and employment remains a great challenge for us. Indonesia agreed to the Asia Decent Work Decade 2015, which was declared during the 14th ILO Asian Regional Meeting in Busan (Korea) in 2006. In order to promote decent work, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia has adopted a national action plan on decent work that is to be approved by the social partners and which contains 23 indicators. Moreover, starting this year, the Government will promote Decent Work Awards for district and municipal governments, in recognition of their achievement of decent work goals. The implementation of ILO core conventions is not particularly smooth and some obstacles remain in terms of community awareness of the commitment fully to implement the conventions' provisions. A significant effort has been made by the Government to promote legal measures. For example, in 2000 the commitment was made to enact Law No. 21 on Trade Unions, which provides that all workers may set up unions at all types of enterprises and even that there may be more than one union in one enterprise.

Q: What are the main challenges faced by your country in the practical implementation of ILO Convention No. 182?
E.S.: ILO Convention No. 182 (1999) was ratified by Indonesia in 2000. Pursuant to this ratification, the Government has drawn up a national action plan, which includes the establishment of a national action committee under the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration. So far, 11 provinces and 52 districts/municipalities have set up similar committees. The establishment of these committees is geared towards eliminating the worst forms of child labour in the fishing, footwear, mining, illegal drug and sex industries. Priority programmes were launched in 2002, and regional activities started with the assistance of ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). These programmes have been able to alleviate the plight of children who work in those industries, including by preventing children from working and pulling them out of the worst forms of child labour. Some obstacles remain, for instance, the fact that most of the children concerned come from communities which live below the poverty line. Therefore, other programmes should be encouraged that promote decent work for their parents, i.e. managerial and entrepreneurship capacity-building. Other obstacles include lack of awareness among local authorities of their responsibility in terms of child labour.

Q: What are the most topical labour and social policy issues relating to the activities of multinationals in your country that require attention as a priority from national legislators?
E.S.: The Government of Indonesia is fully aware that international investors play a significant role in encouraging better economic performance indicators. Presidential Instruction No. 3 of 2006 is part of the effort being made to ensure all the ministries concerned avoid placing any regulatory obstacles in the way of investors wanting to do business in Indonesia. Multinational enterprises are well treated in Indonesia. Their presence has contributed significantly to the country's economic growth. In terms of labour issues, there are no specific regulations or laws governing these companies, which, in principle, are treated like all other local and national enterprises. This equal treatment is based on the ILO principle of nondiscrimination. The Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration has taken some steps to implement Presidential Instruction No. 3 by simplifying the process for expatriates to obtain a work permit.