Labour Party (Indonesia, 2021)

Labour Party
Partai Buruh
ChairmanSaid Iqbal
Secretary-GeneralFerri Nuzarli
Vice ChairmanAgus Supriyadi
TreasurerLuthano Budyanto
Founded5 October 2021
Preceded byLabour Party
HeadquartersJakarta
IdeologyPancasila
Social democracy
Democratic socialism
Left-wing populism
Labourism
Civic nationalism
Political positionCentre-left
SloganWelfare State (Indonesian: Negara Sejahtera)
We are the Working Class (Indonesian: Kami adalah Kelas Pekerja)
Ballot number6
Website
partaiburuh.or.id

The Labour Party (Indonesian: Partai Buruh) is a political party in Indonesia founded on 5 October 2021. The party was reformed from and is a continuation of the defunct 1998 Labour Party founded by Muchtar Pakpahan.[1][2] The party formed after the 4th Labour Party congress on 4–5 October in Jakarta.[3]

History

In the aftermath of the passage of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation (Law No. 11/2020) by the People's Representative Council, many Indonesian labour unions felt disillusioned with the new law, which they deemed threatening to the labourers' and workers' rights and protections that they enjoyed prior to its passage. During the 4th Congress of the Labour Party, Said Iqbal, Chairman of the KSPI and sole candidate to be Chairman of the Labour Party, said that the passage of the law was a defeat for Indonesian labour unions.[4] He realized that pressure tactics through using labour unions and mass organizations as pressure groups against government, general strike tactics, and employment of political demonstrations in Indonesia omnibus law protests were useless to stop the passage of the law. Due to this, he now seeks a democratic way to take down the law, by advancing pro-labour union and pro-worker politicians to join parliament.[5][6][7]

At the Congress, Said Iqbal was elected Chairman of the Labour Party.[3] The party is currently seeking a way to participate in the 2024 Indonesian general election.[8] In December 2022, The Labour Party has successfully met the administrative and actual verification requirements of the KPU RI, thus being declared eligible to participate in the 2024 elections.[9]

In 2024, the party fielded 580 candidates for the House of Representatives (DPR), 1,888 candidates for provincial houses, and 13,500 candidates for regional houses in the 2024 Indonesian general election, presenting candidates which, according to Secretary-General Ferri Nuzarli, are representatives of the Indonesian working class: labourers, farmers, and fishermen, among others. He further confirmed that the party is committed to not field "celebrities or elites" for the elections.[10] Due to their grassroots origins, legislative candidates running from the party tend to focus on personal outreach to local communities and factories, under the 'Sasapa' (Salam satu pabrik, Factory Greeting) and 'Sasatu' (Salam satu pintu, Door Greeting) programmes.[11][12]

Founding organisations

The 2021 Labour Party was formed through the merging of the Labour Party and 10 other founding organizations:[13]

  1. 1998 Labour Party (political arm of Confederation of All Indonesia Laborers Unions, Indonesian: Konfederasi Serikat Buruh Seluruh Indonesia, KSBSI)
  2. Confederation of Indonesian Prosperous Laborers Unions (Indonesian: Konfederasi Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia, KSBSI)
  3. Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (Indonesian: Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia, KSPI)
  4. Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Unions (Indonesian: Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia, FSPMI)
  5. Indonesian Farmer Union (Indonesian: Serikat Petani Indonesia, SPI)
  6. Indonesian People Organization (Indonesian: Organisasi Rakyat Indonesia)
  7. Confederation of Indonesian Labour Union(Indonesian: Konfederasi Persatuan Buruh Indonesia, KPBI)
  8. Federation of Chemical, Energy, and Mining Labour Unions (Indonesian: Federasi Serikat Pekerja Kimia Energi Pertambangan, FSP KEP)
  9. Federation of Pharmacy and Health Labour Unions-Reformation (Indonesian: Federasi Serikat Pekerja Farmasi dan Kesehatan Reformasi, FSP Farkes-R)
  10. Indonesian Forum of Private Educators and Honorary Employees (Indonesian: Forum Pendidik dan Tenaga Honorer Swasta Indonesia, FTPHSI)
  11. Indonesian Women Movement (Indonesian: Gerakan Perempuan Indonesia)

Beyond these founding 11 organizations, more than 50 Indonesian Labour unions also expressed their support for the party, according to Said Iqbal.[6]

Political identities

Ideology and political positions

The party has espoused a somewhat stronger left-wing foundation compared to the original Labour Party and is described as "pro-labourer and pro-worker".[7] Despite that, Chairman Said Iqbal has not made clear if the party really follows left-wing politics, despite citing social democracy as the party ideology.[14] To add much further confusion, Said Iqbal himself was also formerly a right-wing activist and politician from the Prosperous Justice Party. Such an unclear position has also raised confusion amongst Indonesian political experts about the party's alignment and commitment to labourist politics.[15]

The party advocates for peace in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, with party chairman Said Iqbal calling on the United Nations to call a halt to the conflict and the Indonesian government to send peacekeeping forces to enforce peace in Palestine.[16]

The party published in its social media account, that they are committed to respecting and protecting human rights for all people, regardless of ethnicities, adat, race, religion, including sexual orientations, and ensuring that every individual has the right to be respected, protected and treated equally before the law without discrimination.[17]

Program and policies

One of the demands of the Labor Party during Indonesia's Labour Day in 2023

The party program proposes the following changes:[7][5][6]

  1. Repeal of the Law No. 11/2020.
  2. Long-term pro-laborer and pro-worker rights struggle and activism.
  3. Formation of pro-laborer and pro-worker laws, including:
    • More subsidy programs to people.
    • Prohibition of outsourcing.
    • Putting an end to the current Indonesian employing contracting system with unlimited renewal.
    • Pushing laws providing adequate severance pay.
    • Humane working hours.
    • Protection of wages.
    • Undoing/repealing laws granting corporation for simplified worker layoffs.
    • Advocacy of putting menstrual and birthing leave into the laws.
  4. Formation of pro-farmer laws, including:


Responses

Both parties from the ruling and opposition side of the current Joko Widodo administration congratulated members on the formation of the party, with the Great Indonesia Movement Party congratulating the party formation from the side of the ruling coalition[18] and the Prosperous Justice Party congratulating the party formation from the opposition side.[19] Many political experts see the party as having the potential to grow quickly to having a considerable grassroot basis amongst labourers, workers, farmers, fishermen, educators, and honorary employees.[20][21] Despite that, experts also said that the new party has a challenge in consolidating all labour movements in Indonesia as their source of power, particularly because the current large parties in Indonesia also have their own affiliated labour unions and mass organizations which are much larger and more established compared to the new party.[20] Additionally, labour movements in Indonesia are currently fragmented and lack strong figures to unite all laborers and workers. In the political history of Indonesia, there have been numerous labour-based parties formed since the Reformasi period but all the parties performed poorly and lacked strong figures, causing their impact to be negligible.[21][22]

Not all labour unions welcomed the party. The oldest Indonesian labour union, the Confederation of All-Indonesian Worker Associations (Indonesian: Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Seluruh Indonesia, KSPSI) did not respond well to the formation of the party and did not join the party. The leader of the KSPSI, Elly Rosita Silaban, explained that the conditions which labourist politics requires to grow are not met in Indonesia due to the lack of three things: (1) Low trade union density, despite the high number of labourers and workers. In Indonesia, according to the KSPSI's 2021 data, out of 127 million Indonesian labourers and workers, only 2.7 million are registered labourers and workers, and those 2.7 million labourers and workers are also scattered across one hundred specialized labour unions. (2) No single labour confederation as an umbrella organization to channel all labour and focus it to one point. (3) The number of parties in Indonesia which greatly scatters and dilutes the labourers' voice.[23]

Election results

Legislative election results

Election results for national House of Representatives
Election Ballot number Total seats won Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Party leader
2024 6
0 / 580
 972,910 0.64% Said Iqbal
Election results for Regency/City Regional Houses of Representatives
Election City/Regency Seats won Status Reference
2024 West Tulang Bawang
1 / 35
 [24]
Bekasi Regency
2 / 55
 [25]
Ambon
1 / 35
 [26]
Sorong
1 / 30
 [27]
Manokwari Regency
1 / 30
 [28]

Presidential election results

Election Ballot number Candidate Running mate 1st round
(Total votes) 		Share of votes Outcome 2nd round
(Total votes) 		Share of votes Outcome
2024 Neutral Neutral

Note: Bold text suggests the party's member

References

  1. ^ Putri, Budiarti Utami; Persada, Syailendra (2021-10-05). "Dipimpin Said Iqbal, Ini Susunan Pengurus Partai Buruh". tempo.co (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  2. ^ Tim (2021-10-05). "KSPI Jelaskan Beda Partai Buruh yang Lama dan Baru". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  3. ^ a b Putri, Budiarti Utami; Wibowo, Eko Ari (2021-10-05). "Said Iqbal Terpilih Menjadi Presiden Partai Buruh". tempo.co (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  4. ^ Umam, Chaerul (2021-10-04). "Said Iqbal Jadi Calon Tunggal Ketua Umum Partai Buruh". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  5. ^ a b Djokya, Firda Cynthia Anggrainy Al. "Alasan Partai Buruh Bangkit Kembali: Pengesahan Omnibus Law". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  6. ^ a b c Chaterine, Rahel Narda; Galih, Bayu (2021-10-05). "Said Iqbal Ungkap Alasan Partai Buruh Dibangkitkan, Salah Satunya Omnibus Law UU Cipta Kerja". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  7. ^ a b c Akbar, Nawir Arsyad; Hermawan, Bayu (2021-10-05). "Partai Buruh akan Berusaha Batalkan Omnibus Law". Republika Online (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  8. ^ Ahda, Bayhaqi (2021-10-03). "11 Organisasi akan Deklarasikan Ulang Partai Buruh, Siap Bertarung di Pemilu 2024". merdeka.com. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  9. ^ Tri Meilani Ameliya (14 December 2022). "KPU tetapkan 17 partai politik peserta Pemilu 2024". Antara News. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  10. ^ Indonesia, C. N. N. "Partai Buruh Daftarkan 580 Bacaleg DPR, Diklaim Rakyat Kecil Semua". nasional (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  11. ^ Karawang, Kontributor (2023-11-12). "Caleg DPRD Karawang Nurul Ayuningtyas Noviana, S.Kom Lakukan Sasatu & Bentuk Tim Pemenangan". KPonline (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  12. ^ Bekasi, Kontributor (2023-11-08). "Target Menang Pemilu, Partai Buruh Kembali Lakukan Sasapa di Kawasan Jababeka". KPonline (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  13. ^ Lutfi, Khanif (2021-10-05). "Ini Pengurus Partai Buruh dan 11 Organisasi Badan Pendiri". FIN.CO.ID. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  14. ^ Damarjati, Danu (2021-10-06). "Apakah Partai Buruh di Indonesia Jadi Sayap Kiri? Ini Kata Said Iqbal". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  15. ^ Priyadi, Hari (2021-10-07). "Aktivis: Said Iqbal Akui Gerakan Buruh Tak Bisa Lepas dari Sejarah Gerakan Komunis: Tapi Kok Nyaleg di PKS? - Galamedia News - Halaman 2". galamedia.pikiran-rakyat.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  16. ^ Akbar, Adrial. "Buruh Lanjut Demo di Depan Gedung PBB, Minta Setop Perang Israel-Hamas". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  17. ^ "excopartaiburuh". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  18. ^ Safitri, Eva (2021-10-04). "Gerindra Sambut Partai Buruh: Selamat Berjuang Menempuh Demokrasi!". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  19. ^ Ete, Suhari (2021-10-05). "Hidayat Nur Wahid : Selamat Datang Partai Buruh". KPonline (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  20. ^ a b Safitri, Eva (2021-10-05). "Menerka Peluang Partai Buruh Berlaga di Pemilu 2024". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  21. ^ a b Triono, Wahyu (2021-10-05). "NEWS VIDEO Partai Buruh Dinilai Bisa Jadi Partai yang Diperhitungkan jika Mampu Persatukan Buruh". Tribunkaltim.co (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  22. ^ CNN Indonesia (2021-10-05). "Jatuh Bangun Partai Buruh dari Era Reformasi ke Pemilu 2024". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-05. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  23. ^ Redaktur Inisiatifnews.com (2021-10-06). "Ogah Gabung Partai Buruh, KSBSI : Kami Tak Mau Bayar Mahal Kegagalan". Inisiatifnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  24. ^ "Rekapitulasi Pemilu 2024: 35 Caleg DPRD Kabupaten Tulang Bawang Barat dengan Suara Tertinggi di Dapil 1-4". Seputar Lampung (in Indonesian). 14 March 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  25. ^ Saddam, Andi (22 February 2024). "Partai Buruh Raih 2 Kursi di Kabupaten Bekasi, Fokus Jaga Suara - Pojok Bekasi". Pojok Bekasi (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  26. ^ "Dari Parpol Baru, Hanya Partai Buruh Yang Lolos; Ini Daftar Caleg Lolos DPRD Kota Ambon". iNews Ambon (in Indonesian). 13 March 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  27. ^ Matdoan, Dirsan (24 March 2024). "Sempat Cooling Down, Kini Partai Buruh Memperoleh 1 Kursi DPRD Di Kota Sorong Papua Barat Daya - Melanesia Times". Melanesia Times (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  28. ^ "Fix! Daftar Lengkap 30 Caleg Lolos DPRD Manokwari, PSI Kunci 1 Kursi". Link Papua (in Indonesian). 5 March 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
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