Stop union repression at Garuda Airlines

Ask the President of Indonesia to end anti-union measures at Garuda, the country's national airline!

Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's national carrier, is trying to destroy the company's oldest union, SEKARGA, which represents thousands of administrative workers in the company's offices.

The attacks began in November 2023 when Garuda Indonesia, a state-owned airline, suspended deductions of membership dues, as well as transfers to the union. Instead of meeting with union representatives to resolve the issues, the company responded with hostility, refusing to meet with them and ignoring written representations.

Last December, Garuda Indonesia management filed a defamation lawsuit against the union president, Mr. Dwi Yulianta. The persecution of a union leader is an attack on workers' fundamental rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

In February this year, the ITF wrote to the Minister of Manpower and the Minister of Public Enterprises of the Indonesian government demanding a resolution to the dispute. Since then, many unions, including all ITF-affiliated transport unions, have supported SEKARGA. Shockingly, instead of seeking to resolve the conflict, Garuda gave salary increases to all employees who were not in conflict with the company.

Garuda Indonesia workers live in fear of repercussions for participating in union activities. Garuda's actions also pose challenges to the sustainable recovery and growth of Indonesia's aviation industry.

We call on the President of Indonesia to ensure that Garuda management:

– Restores the system of collection and transfer of contributions

– Withdrawal of the defamation case against the president of Sekarga (Mr. Dwi Yulianta)

– Commits to conducting genuine collective negotiations in good faith

SIGN OUR PETITION TO ADD YOUR VOICE

To: Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia

Respect the right of workers to join the union at Garuda.

As President of Indonesia, we call on you to intervene in the conflict between the SEKARGA union and the Garuda employer to uphold the right of thousands of workers to join a union.

The Labor Law states that employees have the right to join a union and recognizes the right of a union to exercise and conduct professional activities. Furthermore, within the framework of the fundamental principles and rights at work of the International Labor Organization, the ILO resolution (No. 78) concerning freedom of association in essential transport services recognizes the primordial importance of full implementation of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) of Transport Workers and calls for the application of these conventions in the transport sector, without any discrimination in all countries. These rights are not respected by Garuda.

Since November 2023, Garuda has engaged in anti-union activities to disrupt and weaken the power of SEKARGA, the airline’s oldest union. Garuda has stopped dues deductions, refused to meet or negotiate in good faith with SEKARGA, and in January 2024, went so far as to file a defamation lawsuit against SEKARGA’s President, Mr. Dwi Yulianta.

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), to which SEKARGA is affiliated, has written to the Ministry of Manpower and the Minister of Public Enterprises expressing concerns about Garuda's behavior towards members of SEKARGA. Despite this and the support of ITF-affiliated transport unions around the world, Garuda has not worked to reach a resolution and continues to discriminate against SEKARGA members.

Garudas' actions threaten Indonesia's labor laws and also pose a risk to the recovery of Indonesia's aviation industry.

We ask you to ensure that Garuda management:

– Restores the system of collection and transfer of contributions

– Withdrawal of the defamation case against the president of Sekarga (Mr. Dwi Yulianta)

– Commits to conducting genuine collective negotiations in good faith