Bucking the trend: Union renewal in democratic Indonesia

Abstract

This chapter examines the strategies for union renewal that have underpinned the dramatic transformation in Indonesia’s labour movement since Suharto’s New Order regime ended in 1998. The chapter argues that neither the Varieties of Capitalism framework nor its Varieties of Unionism corrective adequately theorises the potential impact of a dramatic shift in opportunity structures on union strategy. Having outlined Indonesian unions’ advances since 1998, and the challenges they continue to face, this chapter assess the risks and benefits associated with the different strategies that have contributed to their growing influence. It concludes by reflecting on the fragility of those gains in the face of further volatility in their institutional context.