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Poor countries can keep workers safe and still escape poverty
The Washington Post, April 25, 2013
Kimberly Ann Elliott is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and an expert in international trade policy, with a particular focus on labor standards and trade as a tool for fighting global poverty. She served as chair of the National Advisory Committee on Labor Provisions of U.S. Free Trade Agreements at the Department of Labor from 2011 to 2012, and from 2009 to 2012 served on the USDA Consultative Group on the Elimination of Child Labor in U.S. Agricultural Imports.
In light of the tragic collapse of a factory in Bangladesh, killing at least 87 people, and the ensuing debate about labor standards in developing countries, we spoke on the phone Thursday. A lightly edited transcript follows.
Dylan Matthews: Just to start off, what’s the state of labor standards in most developing countries doing these kind of export-based sectors? Are the laws there, are they enforced, etc.?
Kimberly Ann Elliott: A lot of developing countries have laws on the books that are up to international standards but enforcement is a problem. In this particular case, apparently it was so bad that inspectors had gone in and said, “This building is dangerous, you need to evacuate.” Several other businesses in the building heard that and did, but the garment factory owners there said, “Oh, it’s fine, you need to go to work.” So they had both the laws and the enforcement, which at least was there in theory, but these guys ignored it with very tragic results.
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Please Don’t Gridlock Jakarta, Police Tell Prospective May Day Marchers
The Jakarta Globe, April 24, 2013
Jakarta Police say they are happy for people to mark International Workers’ Day next Wednesday — as long as it is in the form of modest celebrations, rather than massive demonstrations.
Brig. Gen. Sudjarno, the Jakarta Police deputy chief, said on Tuesday that police were hoping the rallies would proceed peacefully and with minimal disruption to traffic, to the general public and to economic activity.
“We are of course working with representatives from the workers’ unions so that the May Day demonstrations can go ahead in an orderly fashion,” he said.
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Tangerang workers ‘warm up’ for May Day
The Jakarta Post, April 25, 2013
Hundreds of factory workers grouped under the Alliance of Greater Tangerang Residents (Altar) rallied in Tangerang regency on Wednesday, calling for an end to “oppression” in the workplace.
They said the rally, which began in Curug district and ended in Cikupa, was a “warm-up” ahead of the commemoration of May Day on May 1.
“We handed out a written statement to workers in seven industrial areas between Curug and Cikupa,” said rally coordinator Koswara.
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Pay Workers below Minimum Wage, Employer sentenced in Court
Kompas, April 25, 2013
The Supreme Court sentenced one year and a fine of Rp 100 million to Tjioe Christina Chandra, a businesswoman from Surabaya who paid their employees below the minimum wage. Criminal sanctions for employers was the first in Indonesia.
According to one of the judges, Gayus Lumbuun, in Jakarta, Wednesday (24/04/2013), the criminal penalty was given on the basis of violations of the Law No. 13/2003 on Manpower, namely Article 90 Paragraph (1) and Article 185 Paragraph ( 1).
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Read the Google Translate English Version here
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Sports Brand Nike Keen on Indonesia as Its Big Base
Jakarta Globe, April 22, 2013
Jeff Perkins, president director of Nike Indonesia, met with Industry Minister M.S. Hidayat on Friday to discuss the possibilities of making Indonesia the biggest manufacturing base for the company.
“Basically, Jeff Perkins was pretty happy with [Nike’s] investment here,” said Hidayat, former chairman of the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), adding Nike is committed to invest more in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
According to Hidayat, Nike Indonesia has cooperated with 38 contract factories that employ around 175,000 workers, making Indonesia among the largest manufacturing base for Nike products, apart from China and Vietnam.
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Waiting for Revolution in Industry to Take Off
Jakarta Globe, April 26, 2013.
Last August, former President B.J. Habibie lamented the nation’s state of manufacturing. Long gone are the days when industrial production rose by more than 20 percent annually, when the nation set ambitious goals to be a leader in certain sectors such as aircraft manufacturing through Dirgantara Indonesia.
Nowadays, manufacturing has given way to oil palm plantations and mining, two areas that have helped the economy to grow in the past few years at a more than 6 percent annual clip. To further boost Indonesia’s manufacturing capabilities and make it self-sufficient, the nation would need to elevate its industries and add value, say business leaders and analysts.
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Labour Day: DKI Jakarta Government examine about making May 1st as Public Holiday
Bisnis.com, April 24, 2013
Labor circles want to have commemoration of May 1st, Labor Day, as a holiday in order to avoid labor action. It was immediately gaining positive response by the city government.
Deputy governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is reviewing whether or not the governor needs to issue a regulation stating May 1st as Jakarta - specific Public Holiday.
"May 1st to be Public Holiday will need to be carefully examined whether or not we need to issue a special regulation for DKI, it will be a problem because this will affect Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabekjur - Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Cianjur)," he said at City Hall today, Wednesday (04/24/2013).
Read the full article here (Article is in Bahasa Indonesia)
Read the Google Translate English Version here
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