JAKARTA – The International Labor Organisation (ILO) has expanded the palm oil employment program that it has started since 2016. ILO sees a number of significant progress and improvement of labor condition in Indonesia’s palm oil industries.
ILO especially lauded the establishment of the employment network for sustainable palm oil, which is locally known as Jaga Sawitan, which was declared in February 2023. The Jaga Sawitan is a joint forum of palm oil workers under the network of Indonesian palm oil workers and labor unions (Japbusi) and the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI). The bipartite organization is seen as a strategic institution to promote industrial relations among the palm oil workers as mandated by Indonesian regulation on manpower.
In a written statement received by SAWITKITA on Tuesday (30/1/2024), the collaboration of GAPKI and the labor unions has been also appreciated by a number of officials, including North Sumatra (Sumut) Acting Governor Hasanuddin.
“I’m impressed with the collaboration of GAPKI and 10 labor unions, which are united under a joint forum to keep good industrial relations among all stakeholders,” Hasanuddin said when addressing the ceremony to declare Jaga Sawitan Sumut recently in Medan.
According to Hasanuddin, considering the difference of interests among members of the joint forum, the Jaga Sawitan should be appreciated. “Usually, an organization is united under just one interest, but the business players with their own different interests can be united in the organization of Jaga Sawitan,” said Hasanuddin
County Director of ILO Indonesia, Michiko Miyamoto said during the national dialog of Jaga Sawitan in Bali (12/2023) that the establishment of the bipartite forum is a historical achievement as it is the first and the largest ever in the history of ILO.
Considering the progress and supports from related parties, ILO will continue and even expand the scope of the program within the first phase of 3 years through ‘ILO Global Project on Strenghtening Global Supply Chain Social Compliance in Indonesian Palm Oil’.
It had been formally presented during the 2024 national meeting of Jaga Sawitan, which was led by Jaga Sawitan Chairperson Nursanna Marpaung, at the office building of ILO Jakarta on Friday (26/1/2024). Adopting the G20 model, the presidency of Jaga Sawitan will be held alternately every year. The first year presidency was given to the labor unions, which are represented by Nursanna Marpaung.
Attended by representatives of labor unions, GAPKI and ILO, the national meeting adopted a number of work programs, which include the establishment of several working groups for K3 (occupational health and safety), gender and children, social dialog and trainings. (*)
Source: sawitkita.id
