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Lessons of the Indonesian Freedom of Association Protocol

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Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Value Chains

Abstract

When the downward spiral of social standards as a negative outcome of globalization for workers and trade unions in the 1990s became more visible, global union federations (GUFs) started to negotiate global agreements with transnational companies or corporate groups, based on the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) core conventions. Today, more than 170 of these international framework agreements (IFAs) to secure social standards have been negotiated (own list), some dedicated to specific topics. Nevertheless, only few IFAs provide local trade unions with specific rights like access to the premises or neutrality in case of unionizing campaigns. A thriving examples come from Indonesia, where Indonesian trade unions, lo¬cal supplier firms and transnational sportswear brand companies concluded an agreement to protect trade union rights, the „Freedom of Association Protocol“. The Indonesian agreement contains detailed provisions to realize freedom of association in practice, as will be analyzed below. This development may be described as the beginning of transnational collective bargaining.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The applicable law is determined by the flag of the vessel.

  2. 2.

    These are countries in the global south, like Liberia, Panama, etc.

  3. 3.

    Whereas subcontractors are only exceptionally bound, e.g. in the IFA with Inditex.

  4. 4.

    In interviews concluded in November 2018 (with Sharif Arifin (LIPS) on 2 November; Mimmy Kowel (coordinator decent work working group) on 7 November; Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9th Nov; Parto Sumarto (KASBI) on 13 November; Chris Wangkay (formerly OXFAM Australia) on 14 November; Elly Silaban (KSBSI/Garteks) on 21 November; Lilis Usman (former SPN, now KSPN) on 23 November; Frank Tan (FSPTSK Reformasi) on 28 November and Indrasani Tjangdraningsih (AKATIGA) on 15 December 2018).

  5. 5.

    In interviews concluded in November 2018 (with Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9 November; Parto Sumarto (KASBI) on 13 November; Elly Silaban (KSBSI/Garteks) on 21 November; Lilis Usman (former SPN, now KSPN) on 23 November; Frank Tan (FSPTSK Reformasi) on 28 November; and Harry Nurmansyah on 13 No. 2018 (adidas Indonesia)).

  6. 6.

    See: https://www.business-humanrights.org/de/neuste-meldungen/trade-union-leaders-brands-discuss-how-to-promote-ilo-convention-on-gender-based-violence-with-global-framework-agreements/ (19.1.2021).

  7. 7.

    All first-tier suppliers are included.

  8. 8.

    Interview with Sharif Arifin (LIPS) and Iwan Kusmawan (SPN), 2 November 2018.

  9. 9.

    Interviews conducted with representatives of all signing Indonesian trade unions, adidas, a supplier and NGO representatives were between November 2018 and January 2019.

  10. 10.

    Interviews with Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9 November 2018, and Parto Sumarto (KASBI) on 13 November 2018.

  11. 11.

    Interview with Harry Nurmansyah (adidas office in Jakarta) 13 of November 2018.

  12. 12.

    Interview with Franky Tan (FSPTSK Reformasi) on 28 November 2018, and Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9 November 2018.

  13. 13.

    In interviews with: Sharif Arifin (LIPS) on 2 November 2018; Mimmy Kowel (coordinator of decent work working group) on 7 November 2018; Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9 November 2018; Parto Sumarto (KASBI) on 13 November 2018; Chris Wangkay (formerly OXFAM Australia) on 14 November 2018; Elly Silaban (KSBSI/Garteks) on 21 November 2018; Lilis Usman (former SPN, now KSPN) on 23 November 2018; Franky Tan (FSPTSK Reformasi) on 28 November 2018 and Indrasani Tjangdraningsih (AKATIGA) on 15 December 2018.

  14. 14.

    Interview with Iwan Kusmawan (SPN) on 2 November 2018; Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) on 9 November 2018; Franky Tan (FSPTSK Reformasi) on 28 November 2018.

  15. 15.

    Interview with Sharif Arifin (LIPS) on 2 November 2018; Mimmy Kowel on 7 November 2018.

  16. 16.

    Interview with Sharif Arifin (LIPS) and Emilia Yanti (GBSBI) November 2018.

  17. 17.

    Interview with Iwan Kusmawan (SPN) et. al. November 2018.

  18. 18.

    Interview with Amalia F. Alam on 7 Nov. 2018.

  19. 19.

    The parties of the Protocol would have to agree upon the trainers, who could for example be experts from trade unions or trade-union-related research institutes, from international trade union confederations or organizations like the ILO, or other experts trained in the field of trade union rights.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Berlin, Germany

    Reingard Zimmer

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  1. Reingard Zimmer
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Correspondence to Reingard Zimmer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Berlin, Germany

    Christina Teipen

  2. HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Berlin, Germany

    Petra Dünhaupt

  3. HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Berlin, Germany

    Hansjörg Herr

  4. HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Berlin, Germany

    Fabian Mehl

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Zimmer, R. (2022). Lessons of the Indonesian Freedom of Association Protocol. In: Teipen, C., Dünhaupt, P., Herr, H., Mehl, F. (eds) Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Value Chains. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87320-2_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87320-2_18

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