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Made in Indonesia | Praise
“This
highly informative and penetrating study of the “fight for freedom”
of Indonesian workers, and the background in which it has developed, could hardly
be more timely or significant. It is an inspiring story of struggle and achievement,
with important lessons for people dedicated to elementary human rights. It is
also a valuable corrective to the propaganda assault that seeks to justify investor-rights
agreements by portraying support for working people as an attack against them.”
—Noam Chomsky
"If you feel outraged by the fact that big foreign firms are still not
bargaining with Indonesia's independent unions, read this book. After you read
it, you'll know who to connect with. Consumer groups and human rights activists
can help these courageous people win justice.”
—Jeff Ballinger, Press
for Change
“Americans,
even progressives, know precious little about the great archipelago of Indonesia,
the fourth-most-populous country in the world and a major producer of goods
for the U.S. market. That's why Dan La Botz's book is a must-read for
those who care about global issues. Introducing us to fascinating labor
activists such as Muchtar Pakpahah and Dita Sari, we see the birth of a new
labor movement that is organizing the workers who make products for U.S. consumers.
Made in Indonesia shows us how we can be conscientious supporters of
this important and vibrant movement for social justice.”
—Medea Benjamin, Global
Exchange
“The resurgence of the labor movement has been one of the most breathtaking
but underreported developments in Indonesia since the dictator Suharto was forced
from power in 1998. Unions have asserted their presence by defending workers'
rights against the background of economic crisis, widespread unemployment, and
a stalled reform movement. Made in Indonesia tells the story through
the voices of the key figures in this resurgence. It sets these developments
against the background of the history of labor under the Dutch, Sukarno, and
during the Suharto decades of repression. The penetration of global capital
and the role of international solidarity are also analyzed. The combination
of analysis and sympathetically portrayed trade unionists from across the political
spectrum makes this essential reading for activists or indeed anyone who wants
to understand how labor can play its role in creating a vibrant and stable democracy
in the world’s fourth-most-populated country.”
—Carmel Budiardjo, TAPOL, the
Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
“This book connects the dots. Indonesia was the sweatshop model developed
by transnationals, based on union-busting, miserable wages and the support of
an authoritarian, U.S.-backed government. LaBotz tells the inspiring story of
how the people of Indonesia fought back, bringing down Suharto in spite of his
US support, and how they are now working to build a new labor movement. This
book includes both the compelling personal stories of some of the activists
as well as a rigorous political and historical account of their struggle. It
should be eagerly consumed both by students engaged in the struggle against
sweatshops and by trade unionists and other activists who seek to understand
globalization and are fighting to create an alternative that favors people over
profits.”
—General President John H. Hovis Jr.,
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)
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