FSPM 8th Congress in January 2023 passed a resolution to establish general tourism workers unions on International Workers Day
As agreed in their 8th Congress in January 2023, FSPM declared the establishment of its general individual-membership union, SPM Pariwisata (Independent Tourism Workers’ Union), in the eight regions where it has members. The eight regions are Semarang, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Lampung, Bandung, Surabaya, Labuan Bajo and Bali.
After losing up to 4,000 members across Indonesia in the last three years due to the pandemic and tourism crisis, FSPM explored new ways to organize more workers to rebuild their union strength.
FSPM decided to form SPM Pariwisata as a new structure to accommodate individual workers in the food services and hotel and tourism industry and meet their real need for a union to protect them in the worst situation. At the same time FSPM began crafting strategies for large-scale organizing. Even before this it was common for FSPM to receive inquiries from workers who have no union at their workplace asking if they can join FSPM. “But at that time we could not do much,” said Brother Galih Tri Panjalu, FSPM General Secretary.
Registration with the Department of Manpower
SPM Pariwisata Yogyakarta became the FSPM first individual-based, general union to be registered with the Department of Manpower on May 2. This was followed by SPM Pariwisata Semarang on May 8 and SPM Pariwisata Jakarta on May 19.
Brother Galih mentioned that it is quite difficult for workers in Indonesia to form a trade union because of the bad image of unions created in the eyes of workers and employers. The regulation in Indonesian law that requires a minimum of 10 people to form a union in a workplace also sometimes becomes an obstacle.
“This is the best platform for us when our rights as workers are undermined,” said Brother Muhamad Ikhsan, a local chain restaurant worker, during the meeting to establish the new union on May 15. He added that workers should be the ones to defend their rights.
When explaining the importance of joining a union and struggling collectively, Brother Rival Yunaldi, FSPM Organizer, said: “It’s sometimes even difficult for a union to protect workers rights, let alone workers who are expected to defend their rights by themselves.”
Fafin Lubis, a founding member of a general tourism workers union
At the founding meeting of the general tourism workers’ union, restaurant workers raised some issues on workers’ rights violations in the sector, such as the use of daily workers, part-time worker abuse and unpaid overtime. Brother Fafin Lubis, an Asisstant Manager in an international restaurant chain, explained his wish to create a “conducive, harmonious and prosperous” working environment by forming a union.
Organizing for the Future
Organizing SPM Pariwisata is a long term organizing effort. It is the first step that FSPM believes is important in providing a platform for workers who are interested in joining a union.
SPM Pariwisata in not limited to hotel and restaurant workers. FSPM is targeting more workers in other tourism businesses such as workers in tourism sites, tour guides, golf course workers and even food delivery riders. “We would like to organize to increase union membership from sectors that have not been properly organized all this time,” declared Brother Galih.
Discussion on organizing strategies for SPM Pariwisata
In terms of the development of organizing strategies, FSPM will conduct an education program for members of SPM Pariwisata to increase their capacity as union members. Members of SPM Pariwisata will be encouraged to then organize and form their own union at their workplaces as well.
“With the presence of individual-membership unions, it provides an opening for more and more workers to join the union. So, if something happens to workers, or they are faced with a difficult situation, they can at least get protection for their rights, welfare and job continuity,” observed Brother Galih.
Jasper Dalman អាយុទើបតែ ១៩ ឆ្នាំប៉ុណ្ណោះ គឺជាអ្នកបើកបរបញ្ជូនទំនិញរបស់ក្រុមហ៊ុន ហ្វ៊ូត ផេនដា ក្នុងប្រទេសហ្វ៊ីលីពីន។ គេគឺជាអ្នកបើកបរក្នុងក្រុមដំបូងគេដែលបានបង្កើតទៅជាសាខា Cagayan de Oro City សម្រាប់សហជីព United Riders of the Philippines (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF)។
Jasper បានចូលរួមក្នុងកិច្ចខិតខំចងក្រងសហជីព The United Riders of the Philippines និងបានចូលរួមក្នុងវគ្គបណ្ដុះបណ្ដាលសហជីព។ គេធ្វើកិច្ចការទាំងអស់នេះ ដោយសង្ឃឹមថានឹងអាចជួយលើកកម្ពស់ជីវភាព និងសុខុមាលភាពរបស់អ្នកបើកបរបញ្ជូនទំនិញ និងគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកគេ។
แจสเปอร์ ดาลแมน ไรเดอร์ฟู้ดแพนด้าในฟิลิปปินส์ วัย 19 ปี คือไรเดอร์คนแรกๆที่ก่อตั้งกลุ่มไรเดอร์ประจำเมืองคากายาน เด โอโร่ (Cagayan de Oro City) และไรเดอร์กลุ่มนี้เองคือจุดตั้งต้นของสหภาพไรเดอร์ประจำฟิลิปปินส์ในเวลาต่อมา (The United Riders of the Philippines) (ในความร่วมมือระหว่าง RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF)
Di usianya yang baru 19 tahun, Jasper Dalman sudah menjadi pengemudi pengantaran makanan Food Panda di Filipina. Ia adalah salah satu pengemudi pertama yang membentuk The United Riders of the Philippines (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF) cabang Cagayan de Oro City.
Jasper bergabung dalam upaya pengorganisiran The United Riders of the Philippines dan mengikuti pelatihan serikat pekerja. Ia melakukannya dengan harapan memperbaiki mata pencaharian dan kesejahteraan para pengemudi pengantaran dan keluarga mereka.
Ada kegembiraan – energi anak muda – dalam kemungkinan akan dibayar dengan layak dan bekerja dengan penuh martabat. Yang paling penting adalah keamanan yang akan diperjuangkan serikat, termasuk komitmen untuk memperjuangkan hak atas asuransi kesehatan dan asuransi kecelakaan yang berkualitas. Seperti jutaan pengemudi pengantaran lainnya, tempat kerja Jasper adalah sepeda dan sepeda motornya – melakukan pengantaran dan kembali dari pengantaran. Untuk dapat melakukan ini dengan aman, perusahaan seperti Food Panda harus bertanggung jawab dan mengakui hak-hak pengemudi atas tempat kerja yang aman. Ini juga berarti mengakhiri sistem yang kejam, penuh tekanan dan tidak aman yang membahayakan pengemudi.
Jasper tewas dalam kecelakaan lalu lintas yang mengerikan pada 19 Februari 2023, saat bekerja.
Kematian Jasper adalah contoh tragis dari kerentanan para pengemudi pengantaran. Pengemudi bekerja dalam kondisi yang sangat berbahaya – terjebak di antara dorongan tanpa henti dari perusahaan pengantaran untuk keuntungan (memeras segalanya dari pengemudi menggunakan alogaritme dan bayaran yang tidak adil) dan permintaan pelanggan yang tidak masuk akal untuk pengantaran yang cepat.
Ditambah lagi penolakan perusahaan pengataran seperti Food Panda untuk memberikan asuransi kesehatan dan asuransi kecelakaan. Ini adalah asuransi yang sangat penting bagi pengemudi di tempat kerja mereka. Sudah terlalu lama para pengemudi yang terlibat kecelakaan lalu lintas dipaksa untuk menanggung biaya medis mereka sendiri atau bergantung pada santunan perusahaan pengantaran yang sporadis dan tidak dapat diprediksi. Dan dalam kasus kematian di tempat kerja, keluarga Jasper tidak mendapatkan apa-apa.
Kami tidak akan mengatakan Jasper tidak meninggal sia-sia dan akan menyerukan asuransi yang berkualitas dan pekerjaan yang aman. Kami tidak akan mengatakan bahwa kami akan memenuhi aspirasinya untuk pekerjaan yang layak dan bermartabat. Mungkin nanti sebagai penghormatan untuk Jasper kami bisa mempertimbangkan untuk mengatakan hal seperti itu. Untuk saat ini, kami masih sangat berduka.
Yang bisa kami katakan adalah kami sangat kehilangan Jasper akibat kondisi berbahaya yang disebabkan oleh perusahaan pengantaran. Kematiannya bisa dicegah, bisa dihindari, dan itu bukanlah suatu kecelakaan. Ia dibunuh oleh tempat kerja yang tidak aman. Dan kita harus menghentikan ini.
At just 19 years of age, Jasper Dalman was a Panda Food delivery rider in the Philippines. He was among the first riders to form the Cagayan de Oro City chapter of The United Riders of the Philippines (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF).
Jasper joined the organizing effort of the The United Riders of the Philippines and attended union training. He did so in the hope of improving the livelihoods and wellbeing of delivery riders and their families.
There was an excitement – a youthful energy – in the prospect of finally being paid decently and to work with dignity. Most of all it was the security that the union would bring, including the commitment to fight for the right to quality health insurance and accident insurance. Like millions of delivery riders, Jasper’s workplace was his bicycle and motorcycle – making deliveries and returning from deliveries. To do this safely means that companies like Food Panda have to take responsibility and recognize riders’ rights to a safe workplace. It also means bringing an end to the abusive, stressful, unsafe systems that put riders at risk.
Jasper died in a horrific traffic incident on February 19, 2023, while working.
Jasper’s death is a tragic demonstration of the vulnerability of delivery riders. Riders work in extremely hazardous conditions – caught between delivery companies’ relentless drive for profits (squeezing everything out of riders using algorithms and unfair fees) and customers’ unreasonable demands for speedy delivery.
Added to this is the refusal of delivery companies like Food Panda to provide health insurance and accident insurance. This is insurance essential to riders in their workplace. For too long delivery riders injured in traffic incidents have been forced to cover their own medical costs or rely on the sporadic and unpredictable handouts of delivery companies. And in the case of deaths at work, families like Jasper’s are left with nothing.
We will not say that Jasper didn’t die for nothing and turn this into a call for quality insurance and safe work. We will not say that we will fulfill his aspirations for decent work with dignity. Maybe later in a tribute to Jasper we can consider saying such things. For now our grief is just too overwhelming.
All we will say is that we have lost young Jasper to the hazardous conditions imposed by delivery companies. His death was preventable, it was avoidable, it was not an accident. He was killed by unsafe work. And we must stop this.
With all the talk about “the future of work”, there is no doubt that tens of millions digital platform workers will be a vital part of that future. But will they have the fundamental human rights and freedoms that all workers are entitled to? Grab Philippines seems to think the answer is, No.
In response to a peaceful rally organized by the United Riders of the Philippines – Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa – International Union of Food (RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF) in Pampanga, Grab Philippines summarily terminated two riders, Mark Larson Vallejo and Mary Rose Cenidoza.
The rally was one of many peaceful rallies organized by RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF across the Philippines to draw attention to the insecurity, unfair treatment and lack of protection faced by delivery riders.
Instead of responding to these concerns by engaging with the union, Grab Philippines management (not the algorithm) decided to terminate Vallejo and Cenidoza as punishment for speaking out. But the action by Grab Philippines proved the point: delivered riders are vulnerable to unfair, arbitrary punishment, and have no job protection.
This cannot become the future of work, where digital platforms earning billions claim they are creating jobs and improving livelihoods, while passing all the risk to workers through harsh working conditions, unbearable stress, and irregular and unstable incomes. In fact this fear and insecurity – and not artificial intelligence or algorithms – seem to be the primary management tool for these digital platform companies.
RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF was formed by delivery riders in the Philippines to fight against such a future and to make these essential jobs safe, secure and decently paid. If Grab Philippines is to have any kind of future it must reinstate Vallejo and Cenidoza, listen to the concerns raised in these peaceful rallies, and talk to the union. Only then will there be a possibility that the future of work for tens of millions of digital platform workers will be decent work.
RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF Statement Calling for the Reinstatement of Mark Larson Vallejo and Mary Rose Cenidoza
Support Your Riders, Not Punish Them:
The freedom of speech and expression is one of the most important values in any society. All Filipinos have the right to speak up against abuse, injustice, and unfairness without any fear of retaliation, including the termination of employment. In fact, companies that would rather harass and terminate their workers for speaking up for their needs and concerns than address these demonstrates their disregard for the wellbeing of their employees, the very same people that they praise as essential partners and part of their corporate families.
The United Riders of the Philippines – Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa – International Union of Food (RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF) condemns grabs brazen and groundless termination of Mark Larson Vallejo and Mary Rose Cenidoza both delivery riders of Grab Philippines in Pampanga. Their termination, based only on the vague insinuation of “violating” Grab’s Code of Conduct via text, even committing a “fraud-related issue” according to the Grab app is simply an act of intimidation.
Clearly, the termination was done purely to punish Vallejo and Cenidoza for standing up for their fellow riders and demanding just protection and support for the vital work that they do for Grab and the thousands that rely on the platform’s services.
RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF demands the immediate reinstatement of Vallejo, Cenidoza and the end to Grab management’s harassment of its workers. If Grab is serious in its commitment both to provide quality services to its patrons, and the safeguarding of its riders, then the company must prove this in practice – support your riders, not punish them.
មានក្ដីរំភើបរីករាយពោរពេញដោយថាមពលយុវវ័យ ដោយប្រាថ្នាចង់បានប្រាក់ឈ្នួលសមរម្យនៅទីបំផុត និងអាចធ្វើការដោយសេចក្ដីថ្លៃថ្នូរ។ អ្វីដែលសំខាន់គឺសន្តិសុខដែលបានមកពីសហជីព រួមទាំងការប្ដេជ្ញាចិត្តដើម្បីតស៊ូទាមទារសិទ្ធិទទួលបានធានារ៉ាប់រងសុខភាពប្រកបដោយគុណភាព និងធានារ៉ាប់រងចំពោះគ្រោះថ្នាក់ចៃដន្យ។ មិនខុសពីអ្នកបើកបរបញ្ជូនទំនិញរាប់លាននាក់ដទៃទៀតឡើយ កន្លែងធ្វើការរបស់ Jasper គឺកង់ និងម៉ូតូរបស់គាត់ក្នុងការបញ្ជូនទំនិញ និងវិលមកពីកន្លែងបញ្ជូនទំនិញវិញ។ ដើម្បីបំពេញកិច្ចការទាំងអស់នេះប្រកបដោយសុវត្ថិភាពមានន័យថា ក្រុមហ៊ុនទាំងឡាយ ដូចជាក្រុមហ៊ុន ហ្វ៊ូត ផេនដា ជាដើមចាំបាច់ត្រូវទទួលខុសត្រូវ និងទទួលស្គាល់សិទ្ធិរបស់អ្នកបើកបរក្នុងការទទួលបានកន្លែងការងារប្រកបដោយសុវត្ថិភាព។ ម្យ៉ាងទៀត ក៏មានន័យថាជាការបញ្ចប់ប្រព័ន្ធដែលមានលក្ខណៈរំលោភបំពាន មានភាពតានតឹង និងអសុវត្ថិភាពដែលធ្វើឱ្យអ្នកបើកបរត្រូវប្រឈមហានិភ័យ។
The rally was one of many peaceful rallies organized by RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF across the Philippines to draw attention to the insecurity, unfair treatment and lack of protection faced by delivery riders.
RIDERS – SENTRO – IUF was formed by delivery riders in the Philippines to fight against such a future and to make these essential jobs safe, secure and decently paid. If Grab Philippines is to have any kind of future it must reinstate Vallejo and Cenidoza, listen to the concerns raised in these peaceful rallies, and talk to the union. Only then will there be a possibility that the future of work for tens of millions of digital platform workers will be decent work.