Indonesia’s Courts of Industrial Relations: Context, Structure, and a Look at Surabaya Cases

How should we approach the study of the various special courts that have proliferated in Indonesia since the fall of the New Order? In particular, can we see the new special industrial relations courts as successfully having judicialized labor rights? Building on a thorough examination of their historical antecedents, legal origins and structure, this article focuses on a careful review of cases brought before the Surabaya industrial relations court during the first four years of its operation. Finding other patterns, besides just judicialization, it takes some early steps toward assessing labor rights protection and litigation in Indonesia today.