Ask the President of Indonesia to stop the union busting at Garuda, the country’s flag carrier airline!
Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia’s flag carrier, is trying to destroy the oldest union at the company, SEKARGA, which represents thousands of administrative workers in the company’s offices.
The attacks began in November 2023 when Garuda Indonesia, a state-owned airline, stopped membership fee deductions, as well as transfers to the union. Instead of meeting with union representatives to resolve the issues, the company has responded with hostility - denying meetings and ignoring written representations.
In a further attack on the union in December last year, Garuda Indonesia’s management filed a defamation case against the union’s Chairman, Mr. Dwi Yulianta. The persecution of a union leader is an attack on workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association and collection bargaining.
In February of this year, the ITF wrote to the Minister of Manpower and the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises in the Government of Indonesia calling for a resolution to the dispute. Since then, many unions, including all ITF-affiliated transport unions, have thrown their support behind SEKARGA. Shockingly, instead of seeking a resolution to the dispute, Garuda have given pay rises to all employees not in dispute with the company.
Workers at Garuda Indonesia are living in fear of the repercussions of participating in union activities. Garuda’s actions also pose challenges to the sustainable recovery and growth of Indonesia’s aviation industry.
We’re calling on the President of Indonesia to ensure that Garuda management:
- Reinstates the dues collection and transfer system
- Withdraws the case of defamation against Chairman of Sekarga (Mr. Dwi Yulianta)
- Commits to genuine good faith collective bargaining
SIGN OUR PETITION TO ADD YOUR VOICE
To: Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia
Respect workers’ rights to join at union at Garuda.
As the President of Indonesia, we are calling on you to intervene in the dispute between SEKARGA trade union and Garuda employer to uphold the rights of thousands of workers to join a union.
The Manpower Law states that employees have the right to join a trade union and recognises the right of a trade union to operate and carry out labour activities. Additionally, as part of the International Labour Organization’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the ILO Resolution (No. 78) Concerning Freedom Of Association In Essential Transport Services, recognises the paramount importance of a full implementation of Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) of transport workers and calls for application of these conventions in the transport industry, without any discrimination in all countries. These rights are not being respected by Garuda.
Since November 2023, Garuda has engaged in union busting activities to disrupt and weaken the power of SEKARGA, the oldest union at the airline. Garuda has stopped membership fee deductions, refused to meet or negotiate in good faith with SEKARGA, and, in January 2024, went as far as to file a defamation case against SEKARGA’s chairman, Mr Dwi Yulianta.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), who SEKARGA is affiliated to, have written to the Ministry of Manpower and minister of State- Owned Enterprises to raise our concerns over the behaviour of Garuda towards SEKARGA members. Despite this, and the support of ITF affiliates transport unions across the world, Garuda has not worked to reach a resolution and continues to discriminate against SEKARGA members.
Garuda’s actions threaten labour laws in Indonesia as well as posing a risk to the recovery of Indonesia’s aviation industry.
We call on you to ensure that Garuda management:
- Reinstates the dues collection and transfer system
- Withdraws the case of defamation against Chairman of Sekarga (Mr. Dwi Yulianta)
- Commits to genuine good faith collective bargaining