Local wisdom utilization in the industrial dispute settlement: Sara Wanua as a social conflict resolution for workers in Indonesia

Abstract

The dispute between the laborers and the corporations never settled well, and yet the local wisdom has never been taken into account. This instance of overriding led to internal disharmony and drove the productivity down. Despite several attempts, either negotiation or judicial processes, the dispute always ends in discontent for both parties. As this situation prolonged, local wisdom and indigenous knowledge must be taken into account. This study explored the potentiality of utilizing local wisdom to end the dispute in an amicable settlement. It was a descriptive study with a descriptive analysis. The data were collected through observations, interviews, and sampling-technique documentations. This study flaunted three stages in the dispute settlement. First, it began with a conciliation settlement between the conflicting parties mediated by the local authorities. Second, industrial dispute settlement through the utilization of Sara Wanua, local wisdom, to facilitate the local community. Third, a final settlement through a legal proceeding in the district court. The utilization of local wisdom in the dispute settlement has a significant impact because of shared cultural values and ethnic relations. Following these three stages of the dispute settlement, this study suggested more frequent socialization to educate people about the functions and the roles the local wisdom held in settling the dispute between the
laborers from the local community and the industrial corporations. Hence, a good understanding and practice of local wisdom should keep the dispute down between these conflicting parties.