Structural Change and Industrial Relations During the Soeharto Period an Approaching Crisis?

Does Globalisation undermine labour standards? Lessons from East Asia

“…In contrast, wages and working conditions have tended to be better in most larger, foreign firms in electronics, chemicals and metals/machinery, than they have been elsewhere in the economy (Lim 1977;Manning 1979;Addison and Demery 1988). 10 Like more capitalintensive domestic counterparts, these firms employ more skilled workers, and place greater emphasis on the relationship between productivity and labour standards.…”

“…Military intervention in 'settlement' of disputes in favour of employers and arbitrary action against labour leaders was widespread in Korea prior to democratic reforms and continues to be a feature of industrial relations in Indonesia (Ogle 1990;Manning 1993). Even in less authoritarian countries such as Malaysia and Thailand, labour ministries have consistently interpreted laws in the interests of employers in cases of labour dispute (Manusphaibool 1993;Nayar 1995).…”

“…Some countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, have quite progressive labour protection laws governing hours of work, overtime, work of female and child labour and separation provisions (Lee 1996;Manning 1996). But laws are seldom implemented widely, especially among the majority of wage workers employed in smaller firms.…”

Gender Geographies of Activism: Motherhood, Migration, and Labour Protest in West Java, Indonesia

“…10 Most of the unrest has been directed at large, multinationally owned industries producing for export (Rigg, 1997:228), and the majority of this activism has been centred particularly in textile, garment, and footwear establishments (Hadiz, 1997:113), most notably in the greater Jakarta metropolitan area (Kammen, 1997). 1980Sources: Hadiz (1993, Manning (1993), Fane (1994), Depnaker and Ilo (2000), Rigg (1997), Hadiz (1997:113) 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1981-19851987198819911992 In this context, women and migrant women in particular have played especially important roles in strike activity (Hadiz, 1997;Athreya, 1998;Kammen, 1997). In the Jakarta region, including Bekasi, women are both well represented and often more outspoken than their male peers at strike actions (Hadiz, 1997:122).…”

“…Research on Indonesian labour activism (Rigg, 1997;Hadiz, 1997;Manning, 1993;Kammen, 1997;White, 1993) and on organising in Asia more generally (Deyo, 1989;Hutchison and Brown, 2001;Southall, 1988a) has analysed the broad political and economic forces that have contributed to the rise in labour unrest. This scholarship has provided understanding of the eVects on workers of the recent internationalization of industrial production, the ways that state labour policy aVects workers, the implications of the shifting politics of labour organising in the country, and the consequences of Indonesia's growing urban middle class.…”