TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union (FSPMI) plans to establish a political party to voice labor struggles which will be made on the FSPMI’s fifth Congress and National Convention in Surabaya on February 8-10, 2016.
“The national convention will result in the establishment of a social organization which would eventually become a political party,”said FSPMI’s Secretary of East Java Regional Leadership, Jazuli, at the premise of the National Convention in Surabaya on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 which was attended by 2000 labors.
The political party, which name has not been discussed yet, is expected to compete in 2019 election. According to him, labor party establishment is deemed urgent since there is currently no political party which could accomodate their aspirations.
“We realized that the government’s policies – from wages to social security - has been determined by political elites,” Jazuli said. In contrast, political elites has said nothing on the Government Regulation No. 78/2015 which is deemed harmful to labors.
The labor political party establishment has gain support from many parties, FSPMI claimed. At least 230 thousand labors of all labor unions in Indonesia has shown their support on the party’s establishment since the National Leadership Meeting of the past three years.
“It is time for labors to be heard. Because in the past three years we have also shown our concern not only on labor issues, but also on public issues such as health and education,” he said adding that more than 40 percent of Indonesian people are formal labors.
FSPMI would provide political education to its members while preparing for the establishment of social organization to a political party format. “We would provide political party education and embed political party spirit beforehand; it’s a process for us to make progress to be a bigger and stronger organization,” he said.
Jazuli added that even though it would become a political party, FSPMI would maintain the originality of labor movements as a basis of the people and the working-class movement. “We will not only fighting for labor interests, but also for Indonesian people. Political party is only a vehicle to achieve prosperity,” he said.
ARTIKA RACHMI FARMITA
