Marsinah radio and labour movement
A mass rally like this is not something new at Kawasan Berikat Nusantara or KBN industrial estate in Cakung, North Jakarta. This rally is a kind of awareness on how important it is to set up a labor union.
Through a labor union, they fight for their rights, because the welfare condition of laborers is frequently very poor. Cheap labor, outsourcing policy, lack of health insurance, and sexual harassment at the workplace are among the concerning phenomena among workers.
And... here she is, Jumisih, a female labor activist who is always behind those mass rallies. Thanks to Jumisih, many companies choose to suspend their operations when their workers join in mass rallies.
Jumisih is also the chairwoman of the Cross-Factory Labor Forum or FBLP at KBN, and is widely respected due to her persistence in fighting for labor welfare, particularly for female workers. What she is doing needs to be appreciated. Her past experience teaches her a lot.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
FBLP and Marsinah are actually united. Marsinah was established by my colleagues at FBLP. I am one of Marsinah FM founders. Marsinah FM was indeed established as one of the communication media for our labor colleagues.
At present, FBLP has about 5,000 members and it is one of labor organizations, which is very well-respected at KBN. Every time it goes down to streets, not less than hundreds, even thousands, of workers join them.
[sound on tape]
Tikusna, Newscaster of Marsinah FM
Yes, it’s still about the suspension of minimum wage increase. Jumisih is the chairwoman of this labor union, which has thousands of members.
According to Jumisih, she doesn’t understand what the companies want, because the governor says the minimum wage has been good enough. So, who should be blamed for the suspension of the minimum wage?
But, the rallies do not just happen, particularly when encouraging a huge number of people to act and in raising awareness, as well. Jumisih uses technology. The technology is called radio.
Yep... this is Marsinah FM radio, a community radio, which is located in Cakung, North Jakarta Utara. The radio, used by Jumisih, has become a channel of information for workers.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
It’s positive. I think it’s positive because it encourages our colleagues to have courage to speak. So, this is the way we analyze the problem of women in North Jakarta… the problem of courage – the courage to speak, the courage to express opinions. After they have courage to speak, they will have courage to do many things. From there, we came in, because if the community is built, their activities will be active and automatically, their love to set up organizations will grow.
Every day, Marsinah FM radio disseminates information related to the life of workers, starting from the life and obligation of workers to the socialization of labor law. The radio was finally built and operates, thanks to Jumisih’s resoluteness.
Furthermore, as a labor activist, Jumisih does not want to give up despite terrors and threats she frequently receives.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
Well, how do we encourage our colleagues? Marsinah FM keeps encouraging them so their objectives will not end, because if their struggle to fight for the minimum wage stops, it will be a complicated problem in 2014.
Jumisih, a woman who was born in Pati about 35 years ago, believes that mass rallies voiced through radio will speed up the workers’ victory, because for her, oppression must be fought and should not be ignored.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
For example was the labor strike at Haselindo. The strike was advertised through Marsinah FM, so that the public could know it, including how the strike would be done, and how it would be in the field.
Meanwhile, among the workers, the existence of this radio is very much needed, because through the radio, the labor circle becomes enlightened. Those who earlier did not know the rights they actually have will finally know which obligations the companies must meet.
[sound on tape]
Martuti, Listener of Marsinah FM Radio
Marsinah Radio plays an extraordinary role, because without its existence, we would have less knowledge. We would have no knowledge about women. Not only that. Through radio, they can also build contacts among labor activists and exchange information that will enrich their knowledge about labor issues.
That is why it is not surprising if workers at KBN are familiar with the community radio. Although its newscasters are not paid, the programs it transmits are very useful for the labor circle.
[sound on tape]
Elfi, Listener of Marsinah FM radio
In my opinion, it’s good, because we will know women’s roles and rights.
Unfortunately, the radio only covers not more than two kilometers, so certainly, the number of its listeners is limited.
However, the radio’s management is eager to expand their programs, planning to transmit their programs through streaming videos on the Internet, so everyone can enjoy their programs wherever they are, without borders.
[sound on tape]
Dian, Radio manager
Marsinah FM was established to be the center of information and knowledge for female workers.
Now, labor issues do not only belong to workers, but to many circles, from the government, business owners to the general public.
And Marsinah radio has found its format as a facility for female workers to have courage to speak, to freely express their opinions and to exchange ideas. It is a character of a democratic country.
This script is the final script on from a series of three segments of TV documentaries on labour media campaign through radio by Jekson Simanjuntak and Dina Karina of Berita Satu TV and broadcasted on 15 May 2013. The script is part of the ILO’s media fellowship programme on gender and employment, jointly conducted in collaboration with the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and six selected leading, national mass media. The media fellowship programme was part of the campaign conducted by the ILO through its Access to Employment and Decent Work for Women Project, funded by the Australian Government.
And... here she is, Jumisih, a female labor activist who is always behind those mass rallies. Thanks to Jumisih, many companies choose to suspend their operations when their workers join in mass rallies.
Jumisih is also the chairwoman of the Cross-Factory Labor Forum or FBLP at KBN, and is widely respected due to her persistence in fighting for labor welfare, particularly for female workers. What she is doing needs to be appreciated. Her past experience teaches her a lot.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
FBLP and Marsinah are actually united. Marsinah was established by my colleagues at FBLP. I am one of Marsinah FM founders. Marsinah FM was indeed established as one of the communication media for our labor colleagues.
At present, FBLP has about 5,000 members and it is one of labor organizations, which is very well-respected at KBN. Every time it goes down to streets, not less than hundreds, even thousands, of workers join them.
[sound on tape]
Tikusna, Newscaster of Marsinah FM
Yes, it’s still about the suspension of minimum wage increase. Jumisih is the chairwoman of this labor union, which has thousands of members.
According to Jumisih, she doesn’t understand what the companies want, because the governor says the minimum wage has been good enough. So, who should be blamed for the suspension of the minimum wage?
But, the rallies do not just happen, particularly when encouraging a huge number of people to act and in raising awareness, as well. Jumisih uses technology. The technology is called radio.
Yep... this is Marsinah FM radio, a community radio, which is located in Cakung, North Jakarta Utara. The radio, used by Jumisih, has become a channel of information for workers.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
It’s positive. I think it’s positive because it encourages our colleagues to have courage to speak. So, this is the way we analyze the problem of women in North Jakarta… the problem of courage – the courage to speak, the courage to express opinions. After they have courage to speak, they will have courage to do many things. From there, we came in, because if the community is built, their activities will be active and automatically, their love to set up organizations will grow.
Every day, Marsinah FM radio disseminates information related to the life of workers, starting from the life and obligation of workers to the socialization of labor law. The radio was finally built and operates, thanks to Jumisih’s resoluteness.
Furthermore, as a labor activist, Jumisih does not want to give up despite terrors and threats she frequently receives.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
Well, how do we encourage our colleagues? Marsinah FM keeps encouraging them so their objectives will not end, because if their struggle to fight for the minimum wage stops, it will be a complicated problem in 2014.
Jumisih, a woman who was born in Pati about 35 years ago, believes that mass rallies voiced through radio will speed up the workers’ victory, because for her, oppression must be fought and should not be ignored.
[sound on tape]
Jumisih, FBLP Chairwoman
For example was the labor strike at Haselindo. The strike was advertised through Marsinah FM, so that the public could know it, including how the strike would be done, and how it would be in the field.
Meanwhile, among the workers, the existence of this radio is very much needed, because through the radio, the labor circle becomes enlightened. Those who earlier did not know the rights they actually have will finally know which obligations the companies must meet.
[sound on tape]
Martuti, Listener of Marsinah FM Radio
Marsinah Radio plays an extraordinary role, because without its existence, we would have less knowledge. We would have no knowledge about women. Not only that. Through radio, they can also build contacts among labor activists and exchange information that will enrich their knowledge about labor issues.
That is why it is not surprising if workers at KBN are familiar with the community radio. Although its newscasters are not paid, the programs it transmits are very useful for the labor circle.
[sound on tape]
Elfi, Listener of Marsinah FM radio
In my opinion, it’s good, because we will know women’s roles and rights.
Unfortunately, the radio only covers not more than two kilometers, so certainly, the number of its listeners is limited.
However, the radio’s management is eager to expand their programs, planning to transmit their programs through streaming videos on the Internet, so everyone can enjoy their programs wherever they are, without borders.
[sound on tape]
Dian, Radio manager
Marsinah FM was established to be the center of information and knowledge for female workers.
Now, labor issues do not only belong to workers, but to many circles, from the government, business owners to the general public.
And Marsinah radio has found its format as a facility for female workers to have courage to speak, to freely express their opinions and to exchange ideas. It is a character of a democratic country.
This script is the final script on from a series of three segments of TV documentaries on labour media campaign through radio by Jekson Simanjuntak and Dina Karina of Berita Satu TV and broadcasted on 15 May 2013. The script is part of the ILO’s media fellowship programme on gender and employment, jointly conducted in collaboration with the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and six selected leading, national mass media. The media fellowship programme was part of the campaign conducted by the ILO through its Access to Employment and Decent Work for Women Project, funded by the Australian Government.