By: Sintia Jasmine )*
The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Manpower has taken a strategic step by involving elements of employers and trade unions in the formation of the Workers’ Welfare Council. This step is a manifestation of the state’s commitment to creating harmonious and equitable industrial relations, while also responding to various aspirations of workers who have so far highlighted the inequality of welfare and the lack of participation in the formulation of employment policies. The involvement of the two important elements of employers and trade unions is expected to be able to produce policies that are inclusive, implementable, and in favor of a balance between company productivity and protection of workers’ rights.
The Workers’ Welfare Council will function as a tripartite forum to discuss, evaluate, and provide recommendations related to improving labor welfare, starting from issues of wages, social security, work protection, to developing human resource capacity. In the council structure, the government is no longer the sole decision-making actor, but shares discussion space with employers’ organizations and trade unions as representatives of workers’ interests. This balance of roles is considered important to avoid unilateral domination and create mutual agreements based on deliberation.
Minister of Manpower (Menaker), Yassierli stated that the formation of this council is part of an effort to respond to the increasingly complex dynamics of employment, especially in the post-pandemic era and global pressures that affect the stability of the world of work. According to him, one-way regulations are not enough. Now a strong social dialogue is needed so that all interested parties can sit together and develop a solution-oriented, realistic agenda that is able to answer the challenges of the times. In this case, the involvement of labor unions is considered important so that voices from below are truly raised to the surface and heard in their entirety.
Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sarman Simanjorang, said that his party welcomed the formation of this council, because so far business actors have needed a more structured discussion space in discussing employment policies, including conveying obstacles faced in the field related to production costs, productivity, and business sustainability. The presence of the council is considered to be a forum for connecting interests so that the resulting policies are not counterproductive and continue to maintain the national investment climate.
A positive response also came from the President of the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI), Elly Rosita Silaban, who hopes that workers can align their skills according to market demand, along with the existence of the Council. Her party also appreciates this step as a new starting point in industrial relations governance. So far, many employment policies have been considered too normative and have not touched on the essence of workers’ welfare in the field. With the existence of a joint sitting room, workers now have an official channel to convey data and aspirations directly that affect the quality of life of workers, ranging from demands for decent wages, safe working conditions, to long-term social protection.
One of the main agendas of the Workers’ Welfare Council in the future is to conduct a comprehensive study of the national wage system, including the effectiveness of the implementation of provincial and city/district minimum wages. This study is crucial considering that there are still many regions that are experiencing stagnant wage growth and inequality between decent living needs and workers’ real income. With this study, it is hoped that policy recommendations will be born that are fairer, more adaptive, and in favor of workers’ welfare.
In addition to wages, the Workers’ Welfare Council will also encourage the strengthening of workers’ social security schemes. The main focus is to expand the scope of protection to reach informal sector workers who have not been adequately touched by formal government programs. This effort is important to ensure that all workers, without exception, receive guarantees for health, work safety, and a more decent future.
Not only focusing on macro policies, the Workers’ Welfare Council will also encourage local governments to form similar institutions at the provincial and district/city levels. Thus, the aspirations of workers in the regions can be directly accommodated and discussed locally by involving local governments, local entrepreneurs, and regional labor unions. This cross-regional involvement aims to ensure that labor welfare policies are not centralized and are able to specifically adjust local characteristics and needs.
In the future, the Workers’ Welfare Council is expected to be a catalyst for change in Indonesian industrial relations that are more participatory and equitable. Through synergy between the state, entrepreneurs, and workers, employment policies will not onlyguarantee basic workers’ rights, but also increase the competitiveness of national industry in a sustainable manner. This collaborative policy model is believed to be able to reduce industrial relations conflicts and significantly increase national work productivity.
With the formation of the Workers’ Welfare Council involving employers and trade unions, the government shows a strong commitment to strengthening constructive social dialogue in building a fair and sustainable employment system. This step is not only a symbol of the progress of industrial democracy, but also an important foundation in creating a balance between the interests of the business world and the welfare of workers. In the future, the success of this council will be determined by the seriousness of all parties in upholding the principles of openness, justice, and mutual cooperation for the progress of the Indonesian work world.
)* The author is a student living in Lampung
