Government called on to help troubled workers in Taiwan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) legislator called on the government and the Labor
\nExport Association (Apjati) on Friday to tackle the problem of
\nsome 2,500 Indonesian workers who had abandoned their workplaces
\nin Taiwan.<\/p>\n
Jacob Nuwa Wea, deputy chairman of the House of
\nRepresentatives' Commission VII for labor and social welfare,
\nsaid the Taiwanese government had complained that 2,500 of the
\n81,000 Indonesians employed in industrial, construction and
\nhousehold sectors had absconded from their workplace for unclear
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
\"Taiwan's Commission of Labor Affairs (Cola) has set June 1
\nfor the workers to return to their workplace. The commission has
\nthreatened to take legal action against them if they fail to meet
\nthe deadline,\" Jacob said upon his arrival from Taiwan on Friday.<\/p>\n
Jacob along with several other legislators conducted a
\ncomparative study in Taiwan in connection with their deliberation
\nof the bill on labor export and protection.<\/p>\n
He said the number of workers who had fled their workplace had
\nreached 3.5 percent, almost twice the tolerable limit set by the
\nTaiwanese government of two percent for such labor cases.<\/p>\n
Jacob regretted the absence of an informal approach from the
\nIndonesian trade promotion office in Taiwan and the presence of a
\nlabor attache to help tackle the labor problem, saying the
\nproblem would effect Taiwan's recruitment of Indonesian workers.<\/p>\n
\"If the government fails to tackle the problem, Taiwan has
\nthreatened to close its door to Indonesian workers,\" he said,
\nciting that his delegation had met with Cola and the Taiwanese
\nHouse of Representatives to help the Indonesian government solve
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
Asked about reasons why the workers left their jobs, Jacob,
\nalso chairman of the Federation of Indonesian Workers Union
\n(FSPSI), said that most workers concerned claimed they had
\nexperienced difficulties in their workplace or were seeking
\nhigher wages.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the workers were unskilled while others quit their
\njob for companies that offered higher salaries,\" he said.
\nIndonesian workers employed in the industrial and construction
\nsectors are paid around Rp 7 million monthly, he said.<\/p>\n
He said labor exporters should provide adequate training for
\nworkers before they were sent overseas to avoid such problems in
\nthe future and legal protection for those who were exploited.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia should learn from the Philippines whose workers
\nspeak foreign languages and are well trained in their
\nprofession,\" he said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-called-on-to-help-troubled-workers-in-taiwan-1447893297",
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