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trade unionists in london protest against new repressive laws in indonesia

Mark O | 18.09.2002 11:15

No Sweat activists handed in a protest letter from British trade unionists to the
Indonesian embassy in London on 17 September to protest at repression aimed
at preventing workers' protests aginst new anti-union legislation.

The letter has been signed by six British union general secretaries as well as
many activists.

We would like to express our opposition to the new labour laws being proposed by the Indonesian
government.
The new legislation - the proposed PPHI and PPK laws - aims to restrict trade unionists' ability to campaign
and organise for workers' rights.
From our own experience in Britain, where anti-union legislation has seriously restricted the trade unions'
ability to effectively represent workers, we know how important it is to help our brothers and sisters in
Indonesia prevent the implementation of this legislation.
We know about the large protests being organised by Indonesian unions against these proposed laws - and
the violence and repression which has been used to try to halt these protests. We hold your government
directly responsible for the injuries to workers caused by the police, and for the arrests of union organisers.
We oppose the clampdown on union activists currently underway in Indonesia; we demand the release of all
labour movement activists currently in detention; we want the Indonesian government to drop its - highly
unpopular - attempt to force the PPHI and PPK laws on to the Indonesian labour movement.

Signed:

Mark Osborn and Mick Duncan (No Sweat)
Paul Mackney (General Secretary, Natfhe)
Billy Hayes (General Secretary, CWU)
Tony Kearns (Senior Deputy General Secretary, CWU)
Maria Exall (CWU Exec)
Paul Barber (TAPOL, Indonesia Human Rights Campaign)
Gerard van Dorp (Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples)
Mick Rix (ASLEF General Secretary)
Mark Serwotka (PCS General Secretary)
Cathy Nugent (editor, Solidarity)
Jeremy Dear, (General Secretary NUJ)
Mark Thomas (Bectu)
Paul Kenny (GMB London)
Barry Camfield (TGWU)
Martin Smith (GMB/MSF)
Steve Kemp (NUM)
Bob Crow (General Secretary, RMT)
Margaret Webster (Unison)
Ann Cheyne (Unison)
Angie Birtill (TGWU)
Sue Smith (Unison
Vince Bashford (Unison)
C. Black (Unison)
Carmel Boyle
Nick Angelopoulos
Cambridge and District MSF/Amicus
Mary Dunson (Unison)
Sarah Hughes
John Banford (GMHC)
Kevin Morle (Usdaw)
Christ Houston (GMHC)
M Russell (Unison)
D O’Sullivan (Unison)
Allan Hart (Unison)
AM Cash (Unison)
D Besford (Unison)
P Kemp (Unison)
A Dryburgh (TGWU)
A Ashton (TGWU)
Marie Lloyd (Unison)
K Meggs (Unison)
M Leish (Amicus/MSF)
Tim Smidt (Unison)
Jim Darville (GMB)
Brenda Kerr
John Bevington (GMB London Region)
Sean Matgamna (editor, Workers’ Liberty)
Sasha Ismail (Student Campaign Forum)
Faz Velmi and Kat Fletcher (NUS executive members)
Kim Brookes (Unison)
SO Moore (Unison)
Ritchie Hunter (Merseyside Hazards centre)
M Khalik (GMB)
S Avery-Smith (GMB)
Mathew Hockling (Unison)
Chris White (TGWU)
Paul Hampton (GMB/NUJ)
Caroline Bedale (Unison)
Jim Swan (TGWU)
Nigel Burrage (Unison)
Mick Holder (NUJ)
Dion Baugh (TGWU)
Anie Pike (NUJ)
David Lilley (NUJ) Richard Al (RMT)
Rob Copeland (TGWU)
Matt Wrack (FBU)
Alan Miles (FBU)
Jon Baldwin (FBU)
Carole Bonner (UCATT)
Greg Tucker (RMT)
Joe Martyn (FBU)
Kim Hendry (Tssa/GMB)
Elaine Evans (Unison)
Seamus MacBride (TGWU)
Gavin McGregor
Matt Lewis (TGWU)
Oliver Donague
Val Perez-Iturrioz
Zena Dodgson (Unison)
Karl Cross (Leicester Socialist Party)
Ian Cross (Socialist Sudents)
Matthew Heaney (Ver.di, Berlin)
Janine Booth (Political Officer, RMT London Transport Region)
Kate Ahrens (Treasurer, Leics Health Unison)

To add your name(s) please email us at  admin@nosweat.org.uk.

If you want to send an individual protest letter it should go to the Indonesian embassy, 38 Grosvenor Square,
London W1K 2HW; fax 020 7491 4993.
And to Megawati Sukarno Putri, President of the Republic of Indonesia, fax: +62 21 345 2685

More details on the background to the laws: see "indonesia: union FNPBI makes general strike call" at
 http://www.nosweat.org.uk/article.php?sid=268

and "indonesia: sign our protest letter, come to our protest"
 http://www.nosweat.org.uk/article.php?sid=265

Mark O
- e-mail: markosborn61@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.nosweat.org.uk

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  1. photo of action — photonosweat