Indonesian palm oil union KBS calls for legislation for palm oil workers

During the 3rd international IPOWU conference, which took place from 8 to 13 September 2025, the Palm Oil Workers Coalition (KBS) called for special legislation to protect palm oil workers. The theme of the IPOWU conference was 'Decent work on palm oil plantations'.

KBS was one of the organizers of the event. KBS coordinator Ismet Inoni highlighted various labour issues faced by palm oil plantation workers, including wage inequality, the dangers of pesticides and gender issues. The union has compiled an inventory of these problems and found that Indonesian labour law does not sufficiently cover palm oil workers. "These laws do not address many issues on palm oil plantations," said Ismet, "so one of the programmes of the Palm Oil Labour Coalition is to draft a law on the protection of workers on palm oil plantations in Indonesia."

Draft law written

In 2022, KBS drafted an initial bill on the protection of workers on palm oil plantations (RUPBS), which was then submitted to the Ministry of Labour. It consists of 59 articles and regulates various aspects of work in the palm oil industry, including labour relations, recruitment systems, wages, safety, health and well-being at work, the right to organize, the protection of female workers and the prevention and handling of sexual violence. RUPBS also includes administrative and criminal penalties for companies that violate the various provisions. The trade union has written a supplement to this. Labour Minister Yassierli, who attended the IPOWU conference, said: "The coalition of palm oil workers is committed to decent work in the palm oil plantation sector. We are awaiting their recommendations."

High quotas

This call is all the more urgent considering there were 93,000 labour rights violations and 462,000 occupational accidents in Indonesia in 2024. In an interview on the draft bill, Ismet stated that one of the said labour rights violations was the lack of job security. "Employees work on a contract basis, as temporary day labourers (BHL) or as piece-rate day labourers (BHB). Some workers are not paid and therefore have no social security – in this case a woman or child," said Ismet at the KBS office in the Pasar Minggu district. He argued that workers involve their wives and children in their work because otherwise they would not be able to meet the high quotas.

Below the minimum wage

Although several regions in West and South Kalimantan have set a district minimum wage (UMSK) for the palm oil sector, the wages of many workers are still below the UMSK. "They work on the basis of their presence and usually less than 20 days a month. Some even only work three days a month, which means they only earn around 300,000 or 400,000 rupiah," said Ismet. Social security is also often non-existent.

New research into pesticides

Research conducted last year by KBS in collaboration with IPOWU shows that palm oil plantations in Indonesia still use 39 types of pesticides. Dangerous pesticides such as paraquat, which is banned from sale in the European Union, are still widely used in the spraying of palm oil plantations. The consequences of this are serious, especially for the workers who spray them, but also for their colleagues who work on the plantations.

Following up on this study, KBS conducted further research in Central Kalimantan, particularly in the town of East Waringin, and in North Sumatra, particularly in the regency of Mandailing Natal. KBS interviewed approximately 30 workers in the two provinces and found that they suffer from conditions such as shortness of breath, skin irritation, itching and, in the most serious case, a woman with breast cancer. Although the link between the use of agrochemicals and these various diseases has not yet been confirmed, Ismet is pushing for medical studies.

Draft bill submitted

Article 26 of the draft bill prepared by KBS prohibits companies from using hazardous chemicals containing the active ingredients paraquat and glyphosate. On 10 November, Ismet, as head of KBS, submitted to the Ministry of Labour an amended draft bill and the results of the latest study on pesticide use on palm oil plantations.

Text: Steven Handoko