Baharudin Al Farisi, Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – A number of trade union confederations declared the formation of the Grand Coalition of Indonesian Workers' Struggle (Koalisi Besar Perjuangan Buruh Indonesia) at the Grand Mansion Hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday July 1.
The President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), who is also the Special Advisor to the President for Employment and Labor Welfare, Said Iqbal, was not present at the declaration.
Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPSI) President Andi Gani Nena Wea (AGN) said that the coalition brought together 16 confederations and 147 trade union federations.
"So the 16 confederations and 147 federations within them, we are united to fight for how the [new] Labour Law which will be finalised on October 31 at 12 pm can be formulated and be fair and just", said Andi Gani in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the general chairperson of KSPSI who also serves as Minister of the Environment, Jumhur Hidayat, was present at the declaration and expressed his support for the formation of the coalition.
"Essentially me along with my friends, certainly have one idea, and one struggle", said Hidayat.
A number of organisations have joined the coalition in addition to the KSPSI fractions led by Andi Gani and Hidayat, including the KSPSI faction led by Yorrys Raweyai, the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI), the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI), the Confederation of United Indonesian Workers (KPBI), the Confederation of National Trade Unions (KSPN), the Indonesian Trade Union Association (ASPEK Indonesia) Confederation, the Indonesian Independent Labour Confederation (KBMI) as well as a number of other confederations and labour federations.
New labour law
The Grand Coalition of Indonesian Workers' Struggle is urging the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government to immediately formulate a new Labour Law as ordered by the Constitutional Court (MK) in its ruling Number 168/PUU-XII/2023.
In the context of overseeing the formulation of this law, the coalition will form a technical team in the near future.
"We'll form a technical team, united, to channel all ideas, without being limited, and also form a team that will start working immediately starting this week", said Andi Gani.
KSBSI President Elly Rosita Silaban believes that the formation of the technical team is important considering that the law must be in place by October this year.
"In accordance with the government's pledge that the law will be passed in October. This means we have to speed things up", she stressed.
Silaban explained that the team would consist of a study team, a lobbying team and an action team.
Each worker representative will make a number of demands in the form of important points that need to be regulated in the new Labour Law.
Labor Party explanation
Said Iqbal, who is also president of the Labour Party, revealed that KSPI did not join the Grand Coalition of Indonesian Workers' Struggle because it had previously joined a coalition called the Trade Union Coalition with the Labour Party (KSP-PB).
"The KSPI already had a coalition called the Trade Union Coalition with the Labor Party, abbreviated as KSP-PB", said Iqbal when contacted by Kompas.com on Thursday July 2.
According to Iqbal, the coalition is comprised of more than 70 national-level trade unions, farmers' unions and other popular organisations.
Iqbal did not explain further regarding his relationship with the confederation which declared the Grand Coalition of Indonesian Workers' Struggle. He said however that the coalition is good and is good thing.
Labour Party Acting Secretary General (Sekjen Plt) Said Salahuddin claimed that he was not worried even though they were both fighting for the new Labour Law.
"The Labour Party is not worried at all, let alone having to question the formation of a trade union alliance outside the KSP-PB", Salahuddin told Kompas.com on Friday July 3.
The Labour Party welcomes every effort from any party who wants to fight for workers' welfare, through the formation of a new Labour Law. "That's fine", he said.
Like Iqbal, Salahuddin said that before the grand coalition was formed, the Labour Party had already established the KSP-PB a year ago.
The KSP-PB consists of trade unions and a network of popular organisations, such as farmers' unions, honorary teachers, lecturers and campus workers, domestic workers, motorbike taxi drivers, medical personnel, media and creative industry players, migrant workers and fishers organisations.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Koalisi Buruh Tanpa Partai Buruh, Apa yang Dituju?".]
Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2026/07/04/07014721/koalisi-buruh-tanpa-partai-buruh-apa-yang-dituj