Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA strengthens the union movement in Timor Leste

The General Workers’ Union of Timor Leste (SJT-TL), a Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA partner organisation since 2016, supports workers in the commercial, hospitality, service, and construction industries.

Despite relatively strong labour laws, organising workers in Timor-Leste – where 77% of the workforce is employed informally – brings many challenges, and the last few years has been particularly difficult as the nation recovered from a COVID-19-induced economic slowdown and resulting job losses.

Timor Leste Unions Day 2024.

Despite these challenges, SJT-TL continues to organise and service workers, concentrating on increasing their understanding of labour law and social protections, providing union training, and managing disputes. Leading national campaigns for collective bargaining and minimum wage reform, they focus on supporting workers to bargain with employers through collective agreements and trying to recover membership losses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and ongoing inflationary pressures. 

SJT-TL is helping its members understand their rights and obligations under the law as well as building their capacity to support and advocate on behalf of workers. They are negotiating collective bargaining agreements with seven companies – a challenge in a country where workers' rights are still not widely understood.

Campaigning for a living wage and decent conditions 

Following a long-term union campaign for minimum wage reform spearheaded by SJT-TL, the National Labour Council has finally agreed to take the proposal of an increase to the minimum wage from USD $115 to $150 per month to the Council of Ministers. This is a major step forward and means that the minimum wage is likely to increase in 2024 after more than 12 years of stagnation. The SJT-TL are also calling for an expansion in coverage to include domestic workers, who are currently excluded from the provisions of the Labour Code, via specific legislation.

SJT-TL also play a key role in the national policy debate about eliminating gender-based violence in the workplace. In December, at the culmination of 16 days of activism, the SJT-TL and the Timor-Leste Trade Union Confederation (KSTL) led a long march through the streets of Dili to hand a petition to parliament. It demanded that Timor-Leste ratify ILO Convention C190 to eliminate gender-based violence in the world of work, increase the minimum wage and enact the specific legislation for domestic workers. 

International solidarity

International solidarity is important to strengthen the existence of the Timorese union movement. They have stated: “We are seeking the solidarity of the trade union movement in Australia, especially with the ACTU and APHEDA, to build and develop the KSTL and its members into strong unions in Timor-Leste”.  

The Timorese unions have won the right to take part in pre-departure briefings for seasonal workers mobilised to Australia and New Zealand for the first time since 2019 – providing an exciting opportunity for SJT-Tl to reconnect with their counterparts in Australia and New Zealand.

We invite all IEU members to join Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and keep supporting the Timorese trade unions’ efforts for fairer jobs. Visit: apheda.org.au/join