NGO-TU Training Held in Jakarta

MFA, together with its Indonesian partner Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (Indonesian Migrant Workers Trade Union), held a training for trade unions and NGOs from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The training was supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its project: “Mobilizing Action for the Protection of Domestic Workers from Forced Labour and Trafficking”.

The training is a follow-up from the NGO/Trade Union dialogue organized by the MFA in August 2005 in Jakarta Indonesia. A programme of action was formulated during the dialogue with a recommendation to conduct a training among civil society organizations (CSOs), NGOs and trade unions.

The training aimed to build capacity and awareness among the Indonesian NGOs and trade unions working on the issues faced by Indonesian migrant workers and understand the laws, policies and support framework for migrant workers in Malaysia and Singapore. It also aimed to develop and strengthen linkages among NGOs and trade unions in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The training was attended by representatives coming from migrant NGOs, civil society  and trade unions in Indonesia, Malaysia (Malaysian Trade Union Congress) and Singapore (Singapore National Trade Union Congress).

In the training, the need for the trade unions (both in the sending and receiving countries) to include in their agenda advocacy for migrants' rights was reiterated.  MTUC and SNTUC shared existing support mechanisms for migrant workers provided by the local trade unions in Malaysia and Singapore.  These include providing support and assistance to migrant workers in distressed, collaboration with the embassies of the sending country in implementing programs for the migrant workers (e.g., skills training for Filipino migrant workers by the Philippine Embassy in Singapore), and organizing of migrant workers in the industrial zone areas (factories, shipyards, etc.) in Singapore.  In Malaysia, MTUC clarified that migrant workers are indeed allowed to join local trade unions.  However, not all migrant workers are aware of this.

By the end of the training, the participants expressed their commitment to protect and promote the rights and well-being of Indonesian migrant workers by creating the Migrant Support Network.  The Migrant Support Network is composed of support groups, NGOs and trade unions coming from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.  Activities of the network will include pre-departure training for migrant workers and their families in the home country, support and crisis intervention in the host countries, and reintegration and MSAI training in both sending and receiving countries.  SBMI will serve as the Secretariat of the network and MFA will continuously coordinate the activities of the network. 

An exposure trip to the training camps in Batam, Indonesia was also organized by MFA and SBMI for SNTUC and MTUC.  The training camps were established by the Indonesian government and recruitment agencies for Indonesian migrant domestic workers going to Singapore.  There have been reports of the training being undertaken in "slavery like conditions" and the area is also very conducive for trafficking of women to other countries.