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| Like other unions organized by the Study Club, the SCI placed a focus on providing social and economic services to its members. It established a ] giving out small ]s to cover emergency needs, such as ]s by local courts. Taxi drivers preferred to borrow from the cooperative thanks to its low interest rates. For example, a six month loan was charged at only 9% interest compared to the 40% charged by other lenders.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} In total, the cooperative had lent almost 20,000 guilders in two and a half years. However, it did have some trouble with members who failed to repay loans, mostly amounts borrowed to pay fines.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} | Like other unions organized by the Study Club, the SCI placed a focus on providing social and economic services to its members. It established a ] giving out small ]s to cover emergency needs, such as ]s by local courts. Taxi drivers preferred to borrow from the cooperative thanks to its low interest rates. For example, a six month loan was charged at only 9% interest compared to the 40% charged by other lenders.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} In total, the cooperative had lent almost 20,000 guilders in two and a half years. However, it did have some trouble with members who failed to repay loans, mostly amounts borrowed to pay fines.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} | ||
| Aside from borrowing, members also trusted the cooperative with their ].{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} During 1931, the cooperative received 1,664 guilders in deposits, with 515 guilders in its reserves by the end of the year.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} The SCI also introduced its members to the Indonesian National Bank, created by the Study Club, where they could obtain loans to buy vehicles and become owner-drivers.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} By the end of 1931, membership in the cooperative grew to 99 members, an increase from the 13 it had in April 1929.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} The ] it provided led to the quick growth of the union, its membership growing to more than 250 taxi drivers in Surabaya alone, with hundreds more in other towns in ]. By early 1931, the SCI claimed a total membership of 1,080 drivers. The next year, it expanded to ] — with branches in ] and ] — and came into competition |
Aside from borrowing, members also trusted the cooperative with their ].{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} During 1931, the cooperative received 1,664 guilders in deposits, with 515 guilders in its reserves by the end of the year.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} The SCI also introduced its members to the Indonesian National Bank, created by the Study Club, where they could obtain loans to buy vehicles and become owner-drivers.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=131}} By the end of 1931, membership in the cooperative grew to 99 members, an increase from the 13 it had in April 1929.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=174}} The ] it provided led to the quick growth of the union, its membership growing to more than 250 taxi drivers in Surabaya alone, with hundreds more in other towns in ]. By early 1931, the SCI claimed a total membership of 1,080 drivers. The next year, it expanded to ] — with branches in ] and ] — and came into competition with the taxi driver union of the ].{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=176}} | ||
| === Legal support === | === Legal support === | ||
| The SCI |
The SCI held courses in Surabaya for taxi drivers on practical matters, such as how to drive carefully and avoid fines. The union also provided legal support to drivers by calling on ]s from the Indonesian Study Club when needed. For example, when an SCI member named Dardjan crashed into a bicycle in 1931, the SCI represented him in court, which found in his favor. Another example was when the union took up a case, where three of its members were dismissed without compensation, to the local court. The court awarded each of them one and half months’ wages.{{sfn|Ingleson|2014|p=176}} | ||
| == References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 01:52, 22 December 2024
Labor union in the Dutch East Indies
The Sarekat Chauffeur Indonesia (SCI; transl. Union of Indonesian Drivers) was a labor union for taxi drivers in the Dutch East Indies which was founded in 1929. The union quickly expanded from its base in Surabaya to other towns in East Java and Central Java, claiming a membership of 1,080 by early 1931.
Background
The Indonesian Study Club, an organization for politically active Indonesians, was established in 1924. By 1930, the Study Club was operating schools, held literacy courses, and had established a bank. The organization became an important forum in Surabaya for Dutch-speaking intellectuals and its buildings were used by political and religious groups in the city. The dominant figure in the Indonesian Study Club was Soetomo, a doctor and teacher at the local medical school, who believed in the maintenance of a "harmonious society" where the less educated should be led by a Western-educated elite.
Soetomo observed the failure of labor unions to establish themselves amongst workers in Surabaya. He became convinced that the Indonesian Study Club should get involved, as its strong leadership and resources would be more effective in fighting for better working conditions. On 12 July 1929, the organization established the Sarekat Chauffeur Indonesia (SCI) as a union for taxi drivers. It was the first union organized by the Study Club, though six other unions would be created by the middle of 1930. While the unions were based in Surabaya, their reach steadily expanded to nearby towns and later as far as Yogyakarta in Central Java. According to one estimate, membership in the unions expanded to around 2,000 by August 1930.
Activities
Financial support
Like other unions organized by the Study Club, the SCI placed a focus on providing social and economic services to its members. It established a credit cooperative giving out small loans to cover emergency needs, such as fines by local courts. Taxi drivers preferred to borrow from the cooperative thanks to its low interest rates. For example, a six month loan was charged at only 9% interest compared to the 40% charged by other lenders. In total, the cooperative had lent almost 20,000 guilders in two and a half years. However, it did have some trouble with members who failed to repay loans, mostly amounts borrowed to pay fines.
Aside from borrowing, members also trusted the cooperative with their savings. During 1931, the cooperative received 1,664 guilders in deposits, with 515 guilders in its reserves by the end of the year. The SCI also introduced its members to the Indonesian National Bank, created by the Study Club, where they could obtain loans to buy vehicles and become owner-drivers. By the end of 1931, membership in the cooperative grew to 99 members, an increase from the 13 it had in April 1929. The financial services it provided led to the quick growth of the union, its membership growing to more than 250 taxi drivers in Surabaya alone, with hundreds more in other towns in East Java. By early 1931, the SCI claimed a total membership of 1,080 drivers. The next year, it expanded to Central Java — with branches in Semarang and Surakarta — and came into competition with the taxi driver union of the Islamic Union Party.
Legal support
The SCI held courses in Surabaya for taxi drivers on practical matters, such as how to drive carefully and avoid fines. The union also provided legal support to drivers by calling on lawyers from the Indonesian Study Club when needed. For example, when an SCI member named Dardjan crashed into a bicycle in 1931, the SCI represented him in court, which found in his favor. Another example was when the union took up a case, where three of its members were dismissed without compensation, to the local court. The court awarded each of them one and half months’ wages.
References
Citations
- Ingleson 2014, p. xvii.
- ^ Ingleson 2014, p. 176.
- ^ Ingleson 2014, p. 124.
- ^ Ingleson 2014, p. 125.
- Ingleson 2014, p. 126.
- Ingleson 2014, p. 127.
- Ingleson 2014, p. 175.
- ^ Ingleson 2014, p. 131.
- ^ Ingleson 2014, p. 174.
Sources
- Ingleson, John (2014). Workers, Unions and Politics: Indonesia in the 1920s and 1930s. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-26446-5.