Discrimination against women workers 'pitiful'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A leader of the All Indonesian Workers Union
\n(SPSI) said yesterday that discrimination against women workers
\nwas widespread in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Despite some progress, the overall discrimination against
\nwomen workers in Indonesia was still "appalling", said Ari
\nSumarijati, who chairs the SPSI's unit on women and child
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
"We are still facing many obstacles in eliminating the common
\nincidence of discrimination against female workers, both at home
\nand overseas," she said in a discussion with Director General for
\nIndustrial relations and Labor Standards Suwarto.<\/p>\n
The discussion was part of a three-day seminar on equal rights
\nfor workers which was attended by about 50 women labor activists
\nfrom the provinces.<\/p>\n
Ari said a great number of women workers were subject to
\nexploitation at work and had no opportunity to advance their
\ncareers.<\/p>\n
"Many labor disputes that have occurred in industry have to do
\nwith the denial of female workers' basic rights, such as better
\nwages, overtime payments and menstrual leave," she said.<\/p>\n
According to the SPSI, the only labor union recognized by the
\ngovernment, about 16 million, or 42 percent of Indonesian paid
\nworkers, are women. Most of them work in the manufacturing
\nsector.<\/p>\n
Ari said that lack of skills and a lower level of education
\nhad hampered Indonesian women working in the industrial sector.
\nThe situation had been made worse, she said, by parents'
\ntraditional belief that sending girls to school was not worth the
\nmoney and effort.<\/p>\n
Suwarto said that no law, let alone the 1945 Constitution,
\njustified discrimination against women workers.<\/p>\n
"There is no law that gives male workers privileges either,"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
He said that certain jobs, because of their specific nature,
\nwere better done by men, while others were better done by women.<\/p>\n
Asked about the light penalties imposed on employers who
\nignore workers rights, Suwarto said that the government could not
\ndo anything about court decisions.<\/p>\n
He said the government had, on several occasions, called on
\nthe Supreme Court to impose harsher punishments on employers who
\nviolated the labor laws.<\/p>\n
The manpower ministry planned to revise the labor law, passed
\nin 1969, because it was considered outdated, he said.<\/p>\n
He said a new law, which provided for stiffer penalties for
\ncompanies in breach of labor laws, was expected to be deliberated
\nin the House of Representatives this year. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/discrimination-against-women-workers-pitiful-1447893297",
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