SDG 8.2.9 Employment Practice: Recognition of Labour Rights
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) recognises the right of all its employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Its lecturers and staff come from Indonesia and abroad, and about two in five of its faculty members are women. Every one of them, regardless of gender, nationality, religion or employment status, may form or join a trade union or employee association of their choice, take part in its activities, and be represented in negotiations with the University, without discrimination or retaliation.
The recognition rests on the Indonesian Constitution and labour law, which guarantee these rights to every worker and protect them with criminal sanctions, and on Indonesia’s ratification of ILO Conventions No. 87 and No. 98. UIII applies them through its own instruments on equal treatment and non-discrimination and through channels for employees to raise concerns with the leadership (Table 1).
Table 1. Recognition of freedom of association and collective bargaining at UIII.
| Element | Content | Instrument | Part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constitutional and legal guarantee | Freedom of association; right of every worker to form and join a union; prohibition of anti-union discrimination; collective labour agreements | 1945 Constitution, Art. 28 and 28E(3); Law No. 21/2000; Law No. 13/2003, Art. 104 and 116–135 | 1 |
| International standards | Freedom of association and protection of the right to organise; right to organise and bargain collectively | ILO Convention No. 87 (Presidential Decree No. 83/1998); ILO Convention No. 98 (Law No. 18/1956) | 1 |
| UIII statement of recognition | Recognition of the rights of all employees, including women and international staff | Rector’s Regulation No. 4/2025, Art. 6, 7, 8, and 9 | 2 |
| Equal treatment of women and international staff | Equal opportunity regardless of gender, nationality, religion or other grounds; guaranteed rights of women and people from developing countries | Rector’s Circular No. 1c/2025; Rector’s Regulation No. 23/2023 | 3 |
| Employee voice | Right to give advice and raise concerns with the leadership; employee associations | Rector’s Regulation No. 4/2025, Art. 6(f), 7(g), 8(c), 9(e); | 4 |
1. Legal Guarantee of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
Indonesian law guarantees freedom of association and collective bargaining to every worker, whatever their sex or nationality, and binds UIII as an employer (Table 2).
Table 2. Indonesian law and ILO conventions on labour rights.
| Instrument | Provisions |
|---|---|
| 1945 Constitution, Art. 28 and 28E(3) | Freedom of association and assembly and of expressing opinions is guaranteed by law; everyone has the right to freedom of association, assembly and expression |
| Law No. 21 of 2000 on Trade Unions | Every worker has the right to form and become a member of a trade union (Art. 5); unions may negotiate collective labour agreements and represent workers in disputes (Art. 25); no one may prevent workers from forming, joining or not joining a union or carrying out union activities, including by dismissal, demotion, withholding wages, intimidation or campaigns against unions (Art. 28), on pain of criminal sanctions (Art. 43) |
| Law No. 13 of 2003 on Manpower, as amended by Law No. 6 of 2023 | Every worker has the right to form and join a trade union (Art. 104); collective labour agreements negotiated between unions and employers (Art. 116–135); employers with ten or more workers must have company regulations, prepared with consideration of workers’ representatives, where there is no collective agreement (Art. 108–110) |
| ILO Convention No. 87 (1948), ratified by Presidential Decree No. 83 of 1998 | Freedom of association and protection of the right to organise, without distinction whatsoever |
| ILO Convention No. 98 (1949), ratified by Law No. 18 of 1956 | Protection against anti-union discrimination; promotion of voluntary collective bargaining |
| Law No. 20 of 2023 on the State Civil Apparatus | Civil servants associate through the professional corps of the State Civil Apparatus (Korps Profesi ASN) |
These rights belong to every person who works for wages, including women and foreign nationals employed in Indonesia. Law No. 21 of 2000 forbids any employer from obstructing union membership or activity, and UIII, as a state university, is bound to respect them.
SDGs Relevance: Decent Work and Economic Growth (8.8), Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (16.7, 16.10)
2. UIII’s Recognition of Labour Rights
Instrument: Law of The Republik of Indonesia Number 21/2000 Concerning Trade Unions/Labor Unions UIII recognizes that every lecturer and staff member, whether a woman or a man, an Indonesian or an international employee, a civil servant or a non-civil servant, permanent or on contract, may form or join a trade union or employee association of their choice and take part in its lawful activities; that such associations may represent their members in consultation and negotiation with the University on pay, working conditions and other employment matters; and that no employee may be disadvantaged in appraisal, promotion, pay or continued employment because of membership of, or activity in, a union or association.
3. Equal Treatment of Women and International Staff
UIII’s instruments on equal treatment ensure that women and international staff enjoy these rights on the same terms as other employees. Rector’s Circular No. 1c/Rek/UIII/SE.01/1/2025 commits the University to equal opportunities, access and services regardless of ethnicity, religion, race, gender, social status, physical ability, culture or minority status, guarantees the rights of vulnerable groups, including women and people from developing countries, and imposes sanctions for discrimination. Rector’s Regulation No. 23 of 2023 guarantees women equal opportunity with men to carry out work, duties, functions, rights and responsibilities. Women make up 80 of UIII’s 203 faculty staff, and the University employs foreign lecturers under individual contracts (Rector’s Regulation No. 5 of 2025, Art. 5(1)(b)).
Public access: https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/detail/474
SDGs Relevance: Gender Equality (5.1, 5.5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (8.8), Reduced Inequalities (10.2, 10.7)
4. Employee Voice and Representation
Rector’s Regulation No. 4 of 2025 on the UIII Personnel System gives every permanent lecturer, permanent staff member and non-permanent employee the right to give advice and raise concerns with the leadership for the improvement of the work unit and the University (Art. 6(f), 7(g), 8(c) and 9(e)). The codes of ethics prohibit arbitrary or retaliatory treatment and abuse of authority, protecting employees who speak up, and the appeal process described in UIII’s evidence for indicator 8.2.8 allows any employee to challenge decisions on pay and employment rights.
Table 3. Employee associations and representation at UIII.
| Association or body | Members | Role |
|---|---|---|
| KORPRI UIII | 34 employee | Promoting professionalism and integrity, strengthening solidarity and unity, protecting members' professional interests and welfare, supporting capacity development and continuous professional growth, facilitating social and humanitarian initiatives, and contributing to the achievement of UIII's institutional objectives. |
SDGs Relevance: Decent Work and Economic Growth (8.8), Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (16.7)
5. Public Evidence
Rector’s Circular No. 1c/Rek/UIII/SE.01/1/2025: https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/detail/474
Codes of ethics: https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/detail/127; https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/detail/87; https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/detail/129
Rector’s Regulations No. 4 of 2025 and No. 23 of 2023: https://jdih.uiii.ac.id/
UIII statement recognising labour rights: https://s.uiii.id/KOPRI
References
[1] Government of Indonesia. 1945 Constitution, Articles 28 and 28E(3).
[2] Government of Indonesia. Law No. 21 of 2000 on Trade Unions.
[3] Government of Indonesia. Law No. 13 of 2003 on Manpower, as amended by Law No. 6 of 2023 on Job Creation.
[4] Government of Indonesia. Presidential Decree No. 83 of 1998 ratifying ILO Convention No. 87; Law No. 18 of 1956 ratifying ILO Convention No. 98.
[5] Government of Indonesia. Law No. 20 of 2023 on the State Civil Apparatus.
[6] Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. Rector’s Regulation No. 4 of 2025 on the UIII Personnel System.
[7] Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. Rector’s Circular No. 1c/Rek/UIII/SE.01/1/2025 on Strengthening an Inclusive and Anti-Discriminatory Campus. 2 January 2025.
[8] Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. Rector’s Regulation No. 23 of 2023 on Gender-Responsive and Child-Friendly Workplace Facilities. 1 September 2023.
[9] Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. Rector’s Regulation No. 5 of 2025 on Salaries and Other Income for UIII Employees. 6 January 2025.
[10] Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. Laporan Submisi QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2027: faculty staff by gender.