Conditions drafted for protection of migrant workers<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government has drawn up a list of conditions aimed at
\nprotecting the interests of Indonesians working overseas, a
\nsenior official says.<\/p>\n
The director general for labor exports at the Ministry of
\nManpower and Transmigration, I Gusti Made Arke, said Indonesia
\nwould only send workers to those countries that agreed to these
\nnew conditions.<\/p>\n
"The government, along with labor recruitment companies, will
\nsend workers to countries that have bilateral labor agreements
\nwith Indonesia and accept these new requirements," he said after
\nseeing off on Thursday a group of 107 nurses who will be employed
\nat hospitals in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Under the newly formulated labor contract, overseas employers
\nwill be required to guarantee the safety of Indonesian workers,
\ngive the workers one day off per week, require them to work no
\nmore than eight hours a day, pay the workers overtime if they do
\nwork more than eight hours and allow them to take a two-week
\nannual leave.<\/p>\n
"Copies of the contracts will be given to employers, labor
\nexporters and the Indonesian Embassy in the countries the workers
\nare employed," Arke said.<\/p>\n
He said this measure was being taken to enforce Law No.
\n39\/2004, which requires the government to sign bilateral
\nagreements with countries to provide maximum protection for
\nIndonesian workers overseas.<\/p>\n
He said the government had also asked foreign embassies in
\nJakarta to issue visas only to migrant workers with passports
\nissued by a special unit of the immigration directorate, to help
\nprevent people from working overseas illegally.<\/p>\n
"Foreign embassies employing Indonesian workers have agreed to
\nprovide work visas only to workers recruited by licensed labor
\nsupply companies," Arke said.<\/p>\n
He said his office would issue a list of licensed labor
\nexporters.<\/p>\n
Arke said the new recruitment system, aimed at protecting
\nworkers employed in informal sectors overseas, has come into
\neffect in the Middle East and in other countries employing
\nIndonesian workers.<\/p>\n
The government is also preparing bilateral agreements with
\nMalaysia, Japan and South Korea, he said.<\/p>\n
Said Umar, president of labor recruitment company PT Amri
\nMargatama, which recruited the 107 nurses, said Saudi Arabia had
\nrecruited a total of 400 medical personnel.<\/p>\n
"In November, 2004, we sent 60 nurses with diplomas and 25
\nphysicians to the International Hospital in Riyadh. Another 200
\nmedical workers will be sent in the next few months," he said,
\nadding that the physicians were being paid US$1,100 (Rp 10.2
\nmillion) a month.<\/p>\n
Umar said the 107 nurses would be employed in hospitals in
\nMecca, Riyadh, Medina and Damam, with a monthly salary of $700
\n(Rp 6.5 million). They will be housed in dormitories, insured and
\ngiven one-month annual leave, he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/conditions-drafted-for-protection-of-migrant-workers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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