Workers at Indonesia's sole state-owned port operator Pelindo may begin an open-ended strike from today to try and scupper a Bill to end the company's monopoly, potentially disrupting trade from South-east Asia's largest economy.
Union representatives yesterday discussed late additions to a Maritime Bill submitted by a lawmakers' taskforce, Hendra Budi, secretary-general of Pelindo workers' union, said. 'I can't say whether we will go ahead' with the strike, he said.
The potential stoppage could affect 112 ports across the world's largest archipelago, including Java's Tanjung Priok, the main port near Jakarta, the capital. Indonesia exports palm oil, cocoa and coffee to world markets.
'If the strike goes on, and it goes on for long, that will hurt exporters,' said Asril Sutan Amir, vice-chairman for marketing and international affairs of Indonesia's Rubber Association. 'We hope they'll consider cancelling the strike.'
Mr Budi said that a workers' rally planned for yesterday had been called off amid the talks over the latest revisions to the Bill. The Indonesian parliament is scheduled to meet today for a full session of lawmakers to pass the legislation.
'The proposed law is to improve the country's infrastructure by allowing companies to set up ports, forcing efficiency with competition,' Bambang Erfan, a spokesman at the transport ministry, said in a telephone interview yesterday.
The new law would separate the role of regulator from operator and allow more companies to build and operate ports in Indonesia, Mr Erfan said.
The ministry had contacted port administrators to ask them to prepare contingency plans in case of a strike, including preparations for guiding ships into and out of ports, he said. Piloting vessels is a Pelindo monopoly at present.
Union representatives yesterday discussed late additions to a Maritime Bill submitted by a lawmakers' taskforce, Hendra Budi, secretary-general of Pelindo workers' union, said. 'I can't say whether we will go ahead' with the strike, he said.
The potential stoppage could affect 112 ports across the world's largest archipelago, including Java's Tanjung Priok, the main port near Jakarta, the capital. Indonesia exports palm oil, cocoa and coffee to world markets.
'If the strike goes on, and it goes on for long, that will hurt exporters,' said Asril Sutan Amir, vice-chairman for marketing and international affairs of Indonesia's Rubber Association. 'We hope they'll consider cancelling the strike.'
Mr Budi said that a workers' rally planned for yesterday had been called off amid the talks over the latest revisions to the Bill. The Indonesian parliament is scheduled to meet today for a full session of lawmakers to pass the legislation.
'The proposed law is to improve the country's infrastructure by allowing companies to set up ports, forcing efficiency with competition,' Bambang Erfan, a spokesman at the transport ministry, said in a telephone interview yesterday.
The new law would separate the role of regulator from operator and allow more companies to build and operate ports in Indonesia, Mr Erfan said.
The ministry had contacted port administrators to ask them to prepare contingency plans in case of a strike, including preparations for guiding ships into and out of ports, he said. Piloting vessels is a Pelindo monopoly at present.