On January 21, 2025, IUF Asia/Pacific hosted an exchange visit between the president of the Riders Association of Thailand from all four regions and the National Food Delivery Riders Union (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF), the union affiliated with IUF in the Philippines. The delegates from Thailand had the opportunity to participate in the union’s launch day in the Bulacan chapter, including their unique motorcycle demonstration ride, or what they call the Unity Ride, in Bulacan.
The launch event for the National Food Delivery Riders Union, Bulacan chapter, started at 9:00 AM. Riders gathered at the meeting point to form the Unity Ride, heading to the union’s launch press conference venue in the afternoon. Today, the riders agreed to take a break from work to fulfill their duties as union members and participate in union activities throughout the day.
The Presidents of Riders’ Associations from Thailand congratulated riders in Bulacan and gave the souvenirs before the Unity Ride.
In the rally, hundreds of riders wore their company’s work uniforms, displayed union flags on their motorbikes, carried signs announcing their stance, and had various messages attached to their food delivery boxes, while honking loudly throughout the city. These motorcycle parades are not protesting as one might think, but rather riders coming together to ride motorcycles. As a passenger in the parade, this reminded me more of a large bike caravan driving long distances together.
The Unity Ride was part of the launch event for the RIDERS Bulacan chapter. This initiative came about because the union had organized the riders in the Bulacan about their rights and laws. The riders in Bulacan then collectively decided to join the union and form the Bulacan chapter, which will help and represent the riders in the area.
More than a hundred riders in Bulacan join the union and the Unity Ride.
The National Food Delivery Riders Union is an organization where riders come together as a union to protect their rights and interests as essential workers. In the organization, the riders democratically elect leaders who represent them. They also collect membership dues from the union riders and use this funding to sustain the organization. For instance, today they used the membership dues to pay for the lunch boxes and snacks for the members who joined the Unity Ride.
The purpose of the solidarity ride is to celebrate the successful formation of the union’s chapter and to raise awareness of the union’s existence among the general public, vendors, local government officials, and other riders who have not yet joined the union.
Once the parade arrived at the launching venue, the members used their food delivery boxes as creative photo backdrops at the opening ceremony. They did a live Facebook broadcast to communicate with riders online. The host introduced union representatives from different cities such as Cebu, Iloilo, and Manila, including the presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand from the northern, the southern, the eastern and the central regions, to congratulate the organization in a lively manner.
The riders creatively use the delivery boxes for the event’s back drop.
Additionally, allied organizations, labor welfare officers, local political candidates campaigning, and provincial governor representatives including also expressed their congratulations. The the IUF Asia/Pacific Regional Secretary, Dr. Hidayat Greenfield, said that the launch of the Bulacan Chapter of RIDERS reaffirms that food delivery riders are workers with the right to join and form unions freely, and reminded the gathering that riders are essential workers whose value and contribution must be recognized through better incomes and safe work.
The exchange between riders from Thailand and the Philippines highlighted the importance of working together for their rights. The event fostered collaboration and empowerment. The Unity Ride and the launch event in Bulacan showed that fighting for change can be fun and creative. The presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand returned home inspired to adapt similar ideas in their organizations and communities.
The local labor officer gave a congratulatory speech to the union, acknowledging the importance of workers’ organization, freedom of association, and the power of collective bargaining.
The members of RIDERS joined the “Stop Exploiting Riders” campaign for the Freedom Riders Union from Thailand.
Pada peringatan 76 tahun Deklarasi Universal Hak Asasi Manusia pada 10 Desember 2024, Federasi Serikat Pekerja Hotel, Restoran, Plaza, Apartemen, Katering, dan Pariwisata (FSPM) yang berafiliasi dengan IUF menggelar aksi unjuk rasa di Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan untuk menuntut segera diratifikasinya Konvensi ILO No. 190 di Indonesia. Sejak November lalu, FSPM bersama 20 serikat pekerja dan organisasi perempuan lainnya mengintensifkan kampanye mereka, setelah berbulan-bulan melakukan kajian sejak konvensi tersebut diadopsi, untuk mendesak pemerintah melaksanakan tanggung jawab mereka dalam melindungi hak pekerja atas tempat kerja yang aman dan bebas dari segala bentuk kekerasan dan pelecehan.
Sebuah poster yang berbunyi “Katakan TIDAK pada kekerasan di tempat kerja”
Di bawah aliansi bernama Jaringan Advokasi Konvensi ILO 190 (JAK KILO 190), organisasi-organisasi tersebut memanfaatkan media sosial untuk mempromosikan dan meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat tentang pentingnya konvensi tersebut. Aksi nasional pada 10 Desember digunakan sebagai momentum untuk menyampaikan tuntutan mereka agar pemerintah serius membuat regulasi yang komprehensif, inklusif, dan menjamin perlindungan bagi semua pekerja.
Sehari sebelum aksi unjuk rasa, tepatnya pada tanggal 9 Desember, aliansi menggelar siaran pers untuk mengumumkan pernyataan sikap mereka. Mereka menyoroti minimnya tindakan yang dilakukan pemerintah pada langkah awal untuk meratifikasi konvensi tersebut, padahal pelecehan dan kekerasan di dunia kerja masih terus terjadi di Indonesia. Aliansi juga menyebutkan beberapa contoh pelecehan dan kekerasan yang terjadi di berbagai sektor. Sebuah survei yang dilakukan oleh salah satu anggota aliansi menunjukkan bahwa setidaknya 1 dari 23 pekerja pernah mengalami kekerasan dan pelecehan seksual di tempat kerja.
Brother Galih Tri Panjalu, Sekertaris Umum FSPM, menekankan perlunya ratifikasi konvensi demi peningkatan harkat dan martabat manusia serta untuk membentuk aliansi yang lebih besar yang memiliki tujuan yang sama.
Keikutsertaan FSPM dalam mobilisasi dan kampanye ini merupakan bentuk komitmen mereka untuk mewujudkan tempat kerja yang layak dan aman bagi seluruh pekerja, khususnya pekerja perempuan agar terlindungi dari kekerasan dan diskriminasi berbasis gender yang dapat menghalangi mereka mewujudkan kesetaraan gender di tempat kerja.
Sister Esther Octavia Titaley, perwakilan Komite Perempuan FSPM, berorasi di aksi unjuk rasa
On the 76th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2024, IUF affiliated-Federation of Hotel, Restaurant, Plaza, Apartment, Catering, and Tourism Workers’ Free Union (FSPM) joined a protest action at the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower to demand the urgent ratification of ILO Convention No. 190. Since this last November, the FSPM and other 20 trade unions and women organizations have been intensifying their campaign, after months of study since the convention adoption, to push the government to implement their responsibility in protecting workers’ rights to a safe workplace free from all form of violence and harassment.
A poster reads “Say NO to violence in the workplace”
Under an alliance named Jaringan Advokasi Konvensi ILO 190 (JAK KILO 190), those organizations make use of social media to promote and raise people awareness on the importance of the convention. The national action on December 10 was used as a momentum to convey their demand for government seriousness for comprehensive regulations that are inclusive that guarantee the protection for all workers.
A day before the protest action, on December 9, the alliance held a press release to announce their statement. They highlighted the lack of action done by the government on initial step to ratify the convention, even though harassment and violence in the world of work continue to occur in Indonesia. The alliance also mentioned several examples of harassment and violence happened in various sectors. A survey conducted by one of the alliance members showed that at least 1 of 23 workers have experienced a sexual violence and harassment at work.
Brother Galih Tri Panjalu, General Secretary of FSPM, emphasized the need of the convention ratification for the promotion of human dignity and to form a bigger alliance that have the same goal.
FSPM participation in the mobilization and campaign reflects their commitment to realize a decent and safer workplace for all workers, especially for women workers to be protected against gender-based violence and discrimination that can stop them exercising gender equality at work.
Sister Esther Octavia Titaley, representive of FSPM Women’s Committee, gave a speech on the protest action
Workers claiming their rights after nearly 20 years in insecure work arrangements were suspended at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. Fifty-one union members of the IUF-affiliated Federation of Hotel, Restaurant, Plaza, Apartment, Catering, and Tourism Workers’ Free Union (FSPM), employed by Angkasa Pura Supports Company at Ngurah Rai Airport, were intimidated, suspended and denied their trade union rights.
The workers first organized in 2021 when the company announced plans to lay off 360 workers, citing a decline in Bali’s tourism industry. They organized and formed a union, SPM PT. Angkasa Pura Supports Bali, joined FSPM, and fought against the layoffs. Following their successful organizing effort, management was forced to cancel the plan to lay off the 360 workers. In January 2022, management issued a decree designating them as “Project” Permanent Workers until December 2026.
However, their jobs were once again at risk. In May 2024, management announced a merger plan with another state-owned company subsidiary, which would have resulted in workers being reclassified as contract workers. The union organized protests and held meetings with management, ultimately succeeding in getting the plan cancelled. On July 12, 2024, the management officially cancelled the merger plans.
After nearly two decades of working under precarious conditions with insecure employment status, On July 22, 2024, the union sought clarification on the term “project” in the decree and demanded its removal. After many negotiation meetings and the management refusal to make them permanent, workers were forced to organize a strike from August 19-21, 2024.
On August 20, management, seeking to prevent another union victory, intimidated workers who went on strike. They suspended 51 union members and demanded they submit statements agreeing to cease union activities and accept a return to contract status as a consequence.
FSPM and IUF Asia/Pacific extend their full solidarity to the union fighting to secure permanent jobs
Four union leaders and members who refused to accept the suspension are fighting back with FSPM and have called for solidarity under the message “Our Strike is a Legal Strike.”
FSPM General Assembly on October 8-9, 2024 extended solidarity to workers fighting for secure jobs
