Indonesian context in 2023 related to social protection and INSP!R network issues

At the end of December 2022, President Joko Widodo issued an emergency regulation on Job Creation to replace the Omnibus Law, with the reason of addressing global recession risks in 2023 and for attracting more foreign investment at the expense of workers’ rights. The Indonesian Unions rejected the new regulation as some provisions in the regulation have given governors discretionary power to determine the minimum wage, affect outsourcing, severance pay, recruitment of foreign workers and criminal sanctions against employers which will impact workers.

Seeing the shrinking of democratic space in the region, many trade unions and civil society organizations are trying to defend and reclaim their democratic space. 

A new Health Law came into force in Indonesia on 8 August 2023. The new law (Law No.17 of 2023 on Health) (Health Law) holds monumental implications for the development and transformation of Indonesia's health care system. The Health Bill not only potentially deprives people of their health rights but also threatens public safety.

WSM was able to initiate and facilitate the creation of a new platform: the Global Union Indonesia Network, to unite the affiliates of the International Trade Union Confederation and Global Federations in Asia with National Trade Unions centres in Indonesia as one of the best practice of building unity. The platform has been successfully placing the controversial Indonesia’ Law on Job Creation on the short list of cases of non-compliance for the ILO Convention nr. 98 on Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. The report of the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards concluded that the Job Creation Law is in non-compliance with the ILO C.98 and therefore the ILO CAS recommended the government of Indonesia to reform the Labor Law with focus on the Job Creation Law by having a proper and a time-bound dialogue with the most representative unions in Indonesia. As a lesson learned: with openness and cooperation, we are able to unite in one platform the majority of national trade union centres, including some of the labour NGOs and solidarity support organizations.