JILAF | Japan International Labour Foundation

On November 5 and 6, a "Seminar on Industrial Relations (IR) and Labor Policy" was held in Semarang Regency, Indonesia, jointly with Indonesia’s KSPI. A total of 113 individuals participated in this seminar (the seminar was held twice with different participants).

At the beginning of the seminar, KSPI General Secretary Ramidi Abdul Madjid and JILAF Director General Yagi gave opening remarks, sharing the purpose and objectives of the seminar with all the participants.

Next, KSPI gave a presentation titled "Labor Agreements Not Bound by Omnibus Laws," explaining (1) what is negotiated in a labor agreement, (2) how to conclude a labor agreement, and (3) the relationship between labor agreements and the law, which was followed by a conclusion stating, "Labor agreements are the result of discussions between labor and management. Rather than one party dominating the other in the conclusion of such agreements, labor and management should discuss and conclude an agreement based on the principles of good faith, honesty, and the disclosure of information.”
Next, JILAF General Director Yagi gave a presentation entitled "The Conclusion of Labor Agreements and Collective Bargaining in Japan," in which he explained (1) shunto (spring labor offensive) collective bargaining, (2) the difference between labor-management consultations and collective bargaining, and (3) the details of labor agreements, giving specific examples.

In the panel discussion that followed, in addition to KSPI and JILAF, the Central Java Labor Standards Board and the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) joined the panelists and had the opportunity to express their views on the role of labor agreements and what is important in concluding labor agreements from their respective perspectives. A summary of their remarks follows.
Central Java Labor Standards Board: Labor and management need to discuss positive content in negotiations and discussions in a transparent, cooperative, and just manner. This activity leads to the conclusion of labor agreements, which contributes to workplace safety, employee health, job satisfaction, and ultimately productivity.
APINDO: When concluding a labor agreement, it is important for both labor and management to face each other, disclosing the facts, including the company's financial situation, etc. If this is achieved, there will be very few cases that lead to disputes. In companies without a labor agreement, it is necessary for the labor union to first approach the employer to conclude a collective agreement.
KSPI: Labor and management must confirm each other's basic stance of respecting human rights, and labor and management must be harmonious under this basic stance.

At the closing ceremony, JILAF Director General Yagi expressed his gratitude for the successful conclusion of this seminar with the cooperation of KSPI and then expressed his hope that this seminar will be of some help to everyone’s future activities and that it will result in employment stability and the protection of workers' rights through socio-economic development. KSPI General Secretary Ramidi Abdul Madjid thanked JILAF and the government of Japan for their cooperation and learned from this seminar that it is important to look carefully at one’s organization or company and act after examining it, rather than forcibly breaking through or knocking down walls or opponents. He concluded the seminar by saying that he hoped that the information and knowledge gained today would be disseminated in their own organization.