Indonesian union adopts 40 per cent women quota

The groundbreaking decision by the metalworkers’ union comes after a resolution made at the IndustriALL World Women Conference in Vienna in September 2015 to advocate 40 per cent representation of women in IndustriALL’s own structures.

FSPMI’s women’s committee has been campaigning hard to achieve the 40 per cent quota meeting regularly and lobbying the national body of FSPMI and its chairperson. In November 2015, more than 200 women met to strengthen demands for 40 per cent representation and to end tax discrimination against women workers.

In May 2014, women from Indonesian trade unions also voted for the 40 per cent quota in IndustriALL structures at the IndustriALL Asia-Pacific Women’s Conference.

IndustriALL’s director for women and assistant general secretary, Monika Kemperle, said:

We congratulate the FSPMI for taking this pioneering step, and the women who made it possible. Increased women’s representation will attract more women to join FSPMI and take part in union activities as well as harness the undoubtable power of women to organize and lead.

The FSPMI stated that:

Increasing the number of women in our union structure will strengthen us and our campaign to protect workers' rights.