INDONESIA: MODERN SLAVERY AT CELLPHONE PROVIDER TELKOMSEL

Nikeuba organized solidarity actions on Mayday in front of the Telkomsel offices.

We received the following letter of NIKEUBA -SBSI (affiliated to WOW) secretary general Maria Eminenti on the anti trade union activities of the Indonesian celphone provider Telkomsel.

"We are now actively to advocate our members in Telkomsel, the biggest cellular provider in Indonesia. There are more than 8 thousand employees in the company that are now in protest against the modern slavery of the employer and the wages paid under minimum wage.

FYI, Nikeuba has been assisted the series campaign with the members in the head office of Telkomsel in Jakarta, more then 8 times since February 2012 but not yet a result. Attached we sent you the press release that we sent to several media. We also send some pictures of the action during Mayday."

Press Release 4 May 2012


Modern Slavery at Telkomsel



Telkomsel has violated basic Indonesian labour rights by firing 23 union activists affiliated with NIKEUBA-SBSI (Finance and Information Division, Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union). The workers were dismissed for no other reason than union activism, despite false claims by Telkomsel that they had broken their contracts.


To be sure, the 23 dismissed union activists had been campaigning for their employment status to be changed from temporary to permanent in recognition of their 10-year service to the company. Telkomsel's unjust employment policy uses temporary labour in perpetuity, so as to avoid the minimum social security and compensation obligations to its employees. Beginning in February 2012, the activists began the legally protected work of organising a workplace branch of their union, NIKEUBA-SBSI, and they appealed to Telkomsel for just employment policies and union recognition. Their requests for negotiation were ignored.


What's worse, their efforts were met with persecution and victimisation. The 23 activists, the most active union campaigners at the Telkomsel Atrium Senen location, were dismissed on May 2.


For that reason, NIKEUBA-SBSI is seeking support and solidarity. We are asking Telkomsel card users across Indonesia to boycott the company until basic workers’ rights are recognised and the 23 activists are re-instated. In addition, we are calling on State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan-- who became a folk hero for standing up for consumer rights at a toll booth recently-- to take another principled stand in supporting struggling workers at Telkomsel, which operates under the purvey of his ministry. He has another golden opportunity to take up the cause of the people.


Sincerely,


Maria Emeninta
Secretary General DPP Nikeuba SBSI