Yogyakarta, September 30th 2021─Institute Governance and Public Affairs Master of Public Administration or IGPA MAP FISIPOL UGM held a Webinar Policy Forum as part of the 66th Anniversary of Fisipol UGM on Thursday (30/9). Entitled “Searching for Policy Alternatives in the Conflicting Governance of Partnership Relationships in the Gig Economy”, this webinar brought together various stakeholders to discuss together, find a middle way for work relations issues in the form of partnerships that are often faced by online motorcycle taxis and couriers.
The webinar began with remarks from the Dean of FISIPOL UGM, Wawan Mas’udi, and opened with remarks from the Plenary Session as the Vice Chancellor for Cooperation and the UGM Alumni Plenary said that the government has a very important role to balance the interests of profit accumulation and decent working conditions, so that there is no deeper distortion. The point conveyed by the plenary was confirmed by the key speaker in this Webinar Policy Forum, namely the Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziah. In the discussion hosted by Ferry Anggara, presenter of TVRI Yogyakarta, as the moderator, Ida said that the government can help align the bargaining position of partners through regulations issued, such as those relating to job protection obligations and health insurance. That way, the position of the party that has been too dominant can be disciplined again.
Ida’s presentation was elaborated by five other resource persons who were representatives from the public sector, academia, and representatives of partner associations. Then for the first resource person, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan as Director General of Information Technology and Applications of the Indonesian Communications and Information Technology, gave an optimistic perspective on market mechanisms. However, the other four speakers actually gave an anticipatory perspective. Although giving different points of view of the discussion, both Afif Hasbullah, Commissioner of KPPU RI, Wahyudi Kumorotomo, Professor of FISIPOL UGM, Taha Syafaril Anrousi, General Chair of the Online Drivers Association, and Ari Hernawan, Professor of Manpower Law of UGM, both emphasized the urgency of the role countries in regulating the working relationship between partners and platform owners.
The participants of the webinar also gave their views, opinions, as well as questions in response to the issues raised by the speakers. Closing the entire discussion session of the webinar, Ferry Anggara as the moderator concluded that a healthy working relationship in the digital economy era can be realized by balancing employment with fair regulations.