Indonesian Palm Oil Workers

EDM number 1520 in 2005-06, proposed by Sharon Hodgson on 30/01/2006.

That this House notes that workers at the PT Musim Mas oil palm plantation and processing plant in Sumatra formed an independent union, KAHUTINDO PT Musim Mas, in October 2004, seeking to negotiate legal minimum standards and fair treatment for contract workers; further notes that the Musim Mas operates the world's largest palm oil refinery and is a prominent member of the Roundtable in Sustainable Palm Oil; condemns the company for the dismissal in February 2005 of four union officers and the sacking of 700 workers and eviction of them and their families from plantation housing in violation of international standards and human rights conventions; calls upon the company to reinstate immediately dismissed union members, allow them to return to housing and schools on the plantation estate and enter into open and fair negotiations with the union in an atmosphere free of all forms of intimidation; condemns the arrests of six leaders of the union and their prosecution under the notorious Article 170 of the criminal code from the Suharto dictatorship; and supports the global campaign organised by the International Union of Food, Agriculture, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations and LabourStart to urge the immediate release of the six detained trade union officers and the unconditional dropping of all charges against them, as well as an open and transparent investigation into the actions of local authorities and police in criminalising union activities and harassing, intimidating and violating the rights of union members and their families.

This motion has been signed by a total of 47 MPs.