Wage deductions during the coronavirus pandemic are possible with the agreement of labor and management. I believe that companies with labor unions understand that it is necessary to consult and reach an agreement with the labor union, which represents the employees. However, a labor union that can represent employees is one that has 50% or more of its employees as members, so a labor union cannot represent all employees. On the other hand, if a company does not have a labor union, how can labor and management come to an agreement?

[Lembaga Kerjasama Bipartit]

Labor regulations provide for the establishment of a bipartite council, Lembaga Kerjasama Bipartit. Regardless of whether there is a labor union or not, all companies are required to establish a two-party council. Although it is mandatory, it is not widely known, and the Ministry of Labor does not consider it much of an issue, so I think most companies do not have a bipartite council. However, this bipartite council is useful for companies that do not have a labor union, or for companies that do not want to form a labor union if possible. A bipartite council is a "place to discuss and consult on matters related to labor-management relations within a company," and functions as a "place to consider labor-management relations issues within a company in order to guarantee business continuity, create labor stability, and improve labor productivity and worker welfare." It is not a place to complain or make demands, but a place to consult and find solutions. It meets at least once a month, and any topic can be proposed. In many cases, the reason people want to form a labor union is because they want a place to express their wishes to the company. Therefore, by providing a forum for discussion, labor-management discussions can take place without forming a labor union, and since it is an internal organization, there is no need for guidance from higher-level labor union organizations.

[Method for selecting members]

Representatives from both the company and the employees elect the same number of committee members to hold the meeting, but how should the representatives from the employee side be selected? If there is a trade union, the number of union members is democratically elected based on the ratio of union members to non-union members. For example, let's say there are two unions, one has 70% membership, the other 20%, and the remaining 10% does not belong to either union. The bipartite council has at least six members from each side, from labor and management, and a maximum of 20 members. In the case of 10 members, the members would be 7 from the largest union, 2 from the minority union, and 1 from a non-union member. The company also appoints the same number of committee members, and the company president and foreign workers can also attend as ``company representatives.'' I'm sure foreigners are careful not to interfere in human resources matters, but you can feel free to consult with them. First of all, why not meet face to face and start talking comfortably?

Related legislation: Minister of Labor Decision No. 255 of 2003 Nomor: Kep-255/MEN/2003