Left-wing Trade Unionism in Indonesia after the Second World War

Vannessa Hearman

Left-wing Trade Unionism in Indonesia after the Second World War

Vannessa Hearman

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference paper presented at Conference (not in Proceedings)

Abstract

This presentation examines the politics of Indonesia’s largest post-World War II trade union federation, the left-wing SOBSI (Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia, Central Organisation of Indonesian Trade Unions). Founded in 1946 during the war of independence against the Dutch, SOBSI was affiliated to the Soviet-aligned World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The murder and detention of many SOBSI leaders and activists in the Indonesian anti-communist killings of 1965-66 have submerged the role of this important global labour movement actor. Through interviews with and oral histories of Indonesian unionists, as well as a reexamination of the SOBSI archives and publications held in Indonesia and around the world, I investigate Indonesian labour activists’
relationship with the broader global labour movement. It discusses their efforts to introduce ideas of reform and social change to newly independent Indonesia, and the sources of such ideas that possibly pre-dated the Second World War. What challenges lay for leftist trade unions in a predominantly agriculture-based country that had so recently suffered the effects of war and colonial occupation?
What wellsprings of ideas did they draw on to guide their efforts?

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 28 Nov 2018
Event	From Brussels to Bandung? Transnationalism, reform movements, and decolonization in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean - KITLV/Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, Leiden, Netherlands Duration: 27 Nov 2018 → 28 Nov 2018

Conference

Conference	From Brussels to Bandung? Transnationalism, reform movements, and decolonization in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Leiden
Period	27/11/18 → 28/11/18

Cite this

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title = "Left-wing Trade Unionism in Indonesia after the Second World War",

abstract = "This presentation examines the politics of Indonesia{\textquoteright}s largest post-World War II trade union federation, the left-wing SOBSI (Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia, Central Organisation of Indonesian Trade Unions). Founded in 1946 during the war of independence against the Dutch, SOBSI was affiliated to the Soviet-aligned World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The murder and detention of many SOBSI leaders and activists in the Indonesian anti-communist killings of 1965-66 have submerged the role of this important global labour movement actor. Through interviews with and oral histories of Indonesian unionists, as well as a reexamination of the SOBSI archives and publications held in Indonesia and around the world, I investigate Indonesian labour activists{\textquoteright}relationship with the broader global labour movement. It discusses their efforts to introduce ideas of reform and social change to newly independent Indonesia, and the sources of such ideas that possibly pre-dated the Second World War. What challenges lay for leftist trade unions in a predominantly agriculture-based country that had so recently suffered the effects of war and colonial occupation?What wellsprings of ideas did they draw on to guide their efforts? ",

keywords = "trade unions, Indonesia, SOBSI, World Federation of Trade Unions, Cold War",

author = "Vannessa Hearman",

year = "2018",

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language = "English",

note = "From Brussels to Bandung? Transnationalism, reform movements, and decolonization in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean ; Conference date: 27-11-2018 Through 28-11-2018",

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T1 - Left-wing Trade Unionism in Indonesia after the Second World War

AU - Hearman, Vannessa

PY - 2018/11/28

Y1 - 2018/11/28

N2 - This presentation examines the politics of Indonesia’s largest post-World War II trade union federation, the left-wing SOBSI (Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia, Central Organisation of Indonesian Trade Unions). Founded in 1946 during the war of independence against the Dutch, SOBSI was affiliated to the Soviet-aligned World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The murder and detention of many SOBSI leaders and activists in the Indonesian anti-communist killings of 1965-66 have submerged the role of this important global labour movement actor. Through interviews with and oral histories of Indonesian unionists, as well as a reexamination of the SOBSI archives and publications held in Indonesia and around the world, I investigate Indonesian labour activists’relationship with the broader global labour movement. It discusses their efforts to introduce ideas of reform and social change to newly independent Indonesia, and the sources of such ideas that possibly pre-dated the Second World War. What challenges lay for leftist trade unions in a predominantly agriculture-based country that had so recently suffered the effects of war and colonial occupation?What wellsprings of ideas did they draw on to guide their efforts?

AB - This presentation examines the politics of Indonesia’s largest post-World War II trade union federation, the left-wing SOBSI (Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia, Central Organisation of Indonesian Trade Unions). Founded in 1946 during the war of independence against the Dutch, SOBSI was affiliated to the Soviet-aligned World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The murder and detention of many SOBSI leaders and activists in the Indonesian anti-communist killings of 1965-66 have submerged the role of this important global labour movement actor. Through interviews with and oral histories of Indonesian unionists, as well as a reexamination of the SOBSI archives and publications held in Indonesia and around the world, I investigate Indonesian labour activists’relationship with the broader global labour movement. It discusses their efforts to introduce ideas of reform and social change to newly independent Indonesia, and the sources of such ideas that possibly pre-dated the Second World War. What challenges lay for leftist trade unions in a predominantly agriculture-based country that had so recently suffered the effects of war and colonial occupation?What wellsprings of ideas did they draw on to guide their efforts?

KW - trade unions

KW - Indonesia

KW - SOBSI

KW - World Federation of Trade Unions

KW - Cold War

M3 - Conference paper presented at Conference (not in Proceedings)

T2 - From Brussels to Bandung? Transnationalism, reform movements, and decolonization in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean

Y2 - 27 November 2018 through 28 November 2018

ER -

Left-wing Trade Unionism in Indonesia after the Second World War

Abstract

Conference

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