Since 2009 the IUF has been supporting the struggle of our Indonesian affiliate FSPM at the Grand Aquila Hotel in Bandung, where union members have been systematically intimidated and fired from their jobs. Their struggle is now at a turning point.
On 13 October 2008 workers at the Grand Aquila notified their employer of the formation of a trade union, which had been registered according to Indonesian legislation with the local Manpower office. Following this formal notification, 137 employees – all of them union members were removed from their employment after sustained threats and intimidation from the management, and without due process or notification. These workers have been without employment since December 2008.
As part of our support for the union, the IUF submitted a complaint to the ILO Freedom of Association Committee in October 2009. In November, the Committee issued a decision which strongly upholds the elements of the complaint.
The Freedom of Association Committee’s recommendations, which can be viewed here [1] urge the Government of Indonesia to take without delay all necessary measures, including sanctions where appropriate, to enforce the recommendations and orders issued by the Bandung Manpower Office (but subsequently not enforced) to reinstate union officers and members at the Grand Aquila Hotel.
Within the next two months, the Mayor of Bandung will be considering the renewal of the Hotel’s license to operate. To send a message demanding that the Mayor make reinstatement of the 137 dismissed workers a condition of the license renewal CLICK HERE [2]