Trade Union Capacity Building Training on Trade Union Administration

Background

Better Work is a partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The objective of the global Better Work programme is to improve labour standards and enterprise performance in global supply chains in developing countries. It will do this by (a) promoting compliance with core international labour standards as expressed in ILO Declaration and national labour law in global supply chains as a basis for building socially responsible export strategies and (b) enhancing enterprise-level economic and social performance.

While facing sluggish demand due to the global crisis, the Indonesian apparel industry is also facing intense competition from other major apparel producers. At the same time, more international buyers are demanding their global supply chain to ensure labour compliance in the production process and measures such as social audits against different codes of conduct are undertaken by each international buyer. While anti-union practices remain prevalent and restricts workers to exercise their right to freedom of association, workers are also struggling from daily job insecurity, such as abuse of short-term contract, mistreatment of outsourcing and noncompliance minimum wages. For that reason, there is a necessity to adopt an integral approach involving national Government, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and international buyers with a view to maintaining sustainable improvement in labour standard compliance.

Improving labour standards in the global supply chains is an important part of a pro-poor development strategy. Ensuring that workers’ rights and entitlements are protected would help distribute the benefits of trade. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) collaborate in developing the Better Work programme for better labour standards in global supply chains and extending the coverage to Indonesia.

Better Work Indonesia will aim to help enterprises in Indonesia improve labour standards compliance from one hand and increase competitiveness and productivity on the other. The focus of the project will be on long-term sustainable solutions that build cooperation between Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and international buyers. The Better Work Indonesia programme began in July 2010 with initial funding for two years in the Greater Jakarta area, covering three provinces (Jakarta, West Java and Banten provinces) and now has extended to other areas/provinces.

Better Work Indonesia currently has 115 factories registered and over 100 factories in contact with the programme. 21 brands are also benefiting from Better Work. The number of participating factories and brands will increase over time.

Over the past two years BW Indonesia has operated only in greater Jakarta area. In fact, garment factories in Indonesia are spreading from Jakarta to West Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta. Given that West Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta are major producers for Indonesian garment industry in which BWI faces an increase of registering factories in these area. In light of this, BW Indonesia will collaborate closely with the relevant project partners in West Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta including with the trade unions. Hence, BWI will organize several capacity building trainings for members of worker’s organization at the enterprise level in several subject areas.

Following the Trade Union Administration Training for factory level representatives, BWI plan to organize additional capacity building activities on the same topic but this time for trade unions at the enterprise level that are not affiliated to a national trade union confederation. The training would cover among others ways trade unions services to their members and trade union role as well as financial management. This particular training will target Trade Unions members that are located in BWI factories within the province of West Java area.

Objective and Purpose

This training activity is part of Capacity Building for trade unions members from the Federation Apparel union, in order to make the training effective, ILO BWI will support the federation to improve their members at the factory level’s knowledge related to trade union administration and financial management. The workshop will provide an opportunity for the participants to improve their knowledge and skills on trade union administration including financial management of their organization. This training is expected to contribute to the capacities of trade unions for effective workplace cooperation and improve productivity as well as to strengthen and enhance the capacity of trade union members at factory level on Trade Union administration. This particular training will be a collaboration between ILO Better Work Indonesia Program and four Trade Union Apparel Federations.