JAKARTA - In the midst of the dominance of the fast-growing capitalized economic system, an interesting trend emerged, namely opening up access to workers to own and manage companies.
This phenomenon is not an instant revolution, but a movement that is starting to gain place in various parts of the world.
Even in countries with a strong capitalized economic system, such as the United States and Britain, there is an initiative that allows workers to share shares in the company.
The earliest example emerged in 1974 in the United States, the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) program, which was driven by the 1974 ERISA Law, provides incentives for companies to provide shares for their employees.
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Likewise in the UK, since the 1980s, programs such as Save As You Earn ( SAYE) and Share Incentive Plants (SIP) have allowed workers to buy shares through periodic pay cuts.
This step aims to give workers the right to profit and control of the company. Because, so far, many have argued that what is not owned cannot be controlled.
However, this movement is not only about the distribution of shares. There is also a more radical step, namely the creation of workers' cooperatives.
Chairman of the Association of Strategic Socio-Economic Cadres (AKSES), Suroto, said that the more radical labor movement was realized by building cooperatives. In this model, workers not only own shares, but also become full owners of companies and have the same voting rights in every decision making.
The Director of the Cooperative Research Center (CRC) of the Keling Kumang Institute of Technology gave an example of the success of workers cooperatives that attracted the world's attention, namely the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS Ltd) in Kerala, India.
This cooperative begins with contract workers who want to get jobs that are more stable and growing rapidly to include large projects, such as road construction, bridges, and other buildings.
The success of the ULCS not only lies in its success in working on large projects, but also on their commitment to fair quality and profit sharing.
On the other hand, in the state of Basque, Spain, a worker cooperative known as Mondragon Cooperative, has succeeded in changing the fate of workers who initially only worked in the technical sector.
This cooperative, which started with only five people, has now grown into a large company involving around 80,000 workers and controls various industrial sectors, including retail and education.
The principle of "one person, one voice" in making decisions is the main basis of this cooperative, which allows each member to play an active role in strategic decisions.
According to Suroto, who is also the Main CEO of the People's Business Cooperative (INKUR), these success stories show that the workers' ownership model can be applied in various sectors and has a positive impact both in terms of worker welfare and the company's own performance.
In workers' cooperatives, workers have the opportunity to develop, manage their future, and enjoy the results of their fair efforts.
Economic decisions
In Indonesia, Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution emphasizes that the economy is prepared as a joint effort based on the principle of kinship. This constitution guarantees a democratic economic system.
This article also contains an interpretation that mandates that the people, including workers, have access to company ownership and participate in economic decision making.
However, in reality, this article still needs a more optimal real implementation.
So far, government policies still need to be encouraged to be more able to accommodate the economic system that prioritizes people's ownership of economic resources.
For example, the policy of establishing large numbers of village cooperatives initiated by the government must be ensured in order to meet the principles of autonomy, independence, and cooperative democracy which are the keys to the success of cooperatives in many countries.
The role of workers in business management must be strengthened, policies should not focus on arrangements from above which are actually vulnerable to sabotaging the spirit of the cooperative itself.
In addition, policies that prioritize foreign investment must be removed, while strategic sectors that should belong to the people, such as State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), should not be privatized.
The wrong decision can be fatal, including that it can make people lose control of resources that should be used for mutual welfare.
Apart from policy issues, trade unions in Indonesia should also not be trapped in conservatism.
Many progressive ideas, such as share ownership for workers or the development of worker cooperatives, should be discussed more in labor union forums.
Because, if these ideas are carried out, workers will have the opportunity to participate directly in profits and make decisions at their place of work.
And, despite the huge challenges in realizing these ideas, the time has come for this nation to look further in the future.
Joint ownership
This economic democracy movement, which involves joint ownership, should be an important agenda, especially in realizing a just and equitable economic system.
If the models of workers' cooperatives and the distribution of shares for workers can be applied, this country will not only be able to provide economic welfare for workers, but also create better social and economic stability in the future.
The nation can learn a lot from the success of workers' cooperatives in India and Spain.
The cooperative model of workers not only provides opportunities for workers to benefit directly from their work, but also build stronger ties between workers and companies.
Workers feel appreciated because they participate in making important decisions related to the company's future. This, in turn, increases their motivation and loyalty to the company.
People in the country must rethink how to manage and divide the results of each business.
Building a more democratic economic system by involving workers in company ownership and management is not just a dream, but a real step that can bring positive changes.
Thus, labor day is not only a moment of celebration, but also a starting point to realize systemic changes that benefit all parties.
Economic democracy, as mandated in the Indonesian constitution, is not just a beautiful concept on paper.
This is a system that should be applied really in everyday life.
By adopting progressive ideas about shared ownership and equal management, a more just economy, which not only benefits a small number of people, but all Indonesian people, can be more easily realized.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
