Trade unions in U.S companies in Indonesia still underdeveloped

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Trade unions of American companies operating in Indonesia have yet to develop properly, because their management often rejected their existence, an activist said.

"I have recently met Stanley Harsa of the US Embassy labour attache in Jakarta to discus the matter," Indrayana, secretary general the Association of Indonesian Trade Unions (Aspek) said here Thursday.

He said that in the meeting also attended by representatives of Mandiri Trade Unions Federation supervising trade unions in some hotels, they identified some problems, the rejection of the trade unions in US companies in particular.

According to Indrayana, executives of the US firms, mostly US citizens, often rejected the idea.

He took an example that in the telecommunications company Motorolla workers had received a negative response from its management to such idea.

After receiving objection to the stance, he said six regional executives of Motorala in Singapore and some other countries in Asia and the Pacific came to Indoensia to discuss the matter.

According to him, Motorola`s trade union resumed its normal activities although still facing some problems.

The trade union in JW Mariott hotel also had similar problems because the hotel`s management seemed to dislike the formation of a trade union of the hotel.

He further said trade unions in the US, in the banking sector in particular, also did not grow well admidst the companies` rejection and workers` reluctance to join.(*)