House, government slammed for labor bills<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Both employers and labor unions slammed the House of
\nRepresentatives and the government for the much-criticized labor
\nbills, saying the House and the government team preparing the two
\nbills had failed to bridge the gap between employers and workers.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) and several
\nlabor unions told The Jakarta Post separately here on Tuesday
\nthat they would reject the labor bills if the House went ahead
\nwith its plan to endorse them without substantial changes to a
\nnumber of controversial chapters.<\/p>\n
The two bills on labor dispute settlement, and labor
\ndevelopment and protection are still being disseminated among
\nemployers and workers before they are passed into law in
\nSeptember.<\/p>\n
Djimanto, the deputy chairman of Apindo, said his organization
\nwould definitely reject the bills if the government and the House
\nfailed to listen to its objections.<\/p>\n
\"The House has its legislative right to endorse the bills but
\nmust bear in mind whom the bills are made for. It should listen
\nto our views should it want to win our support,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He claimed that the government and the House had held only one
\nhearing during the entire course of the bills' deliberation. \"We
\nhave submitted our objections to the bills but so far no changes
\nhave been made,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djimanto admitted that employers and labor unions were still
\nat odds on a number of crucial issues, mainly concerning strikes,
\ndismissals, working hours, menstruation leave, lockouts, service
\nand severance payments, and sick pay.<\/p>\n
The bills provide that employers are obliged to pay striking
\nworkers while employers are of the opinion that no work means no
\npay. \"It's unfair to force employers to pay striking workers.
\nFurthermore, employers should be allowed to recruit new workers
\nshould strikers refuse to go back to work,\" said Djimanto.<\/p>\n
A number of smaller labor unions have rejected the two bills
\nfor opposite reasons to the employers, and have regretted what
\nthey see as the House's neglect of the views of workers, saying
\nthat the current regime was similar to former president
\nSoeharto's arrogant and authoritarian New Order.<\/p>\n
Muchtar Pakpahan, chairman of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor
\nUnion (SBSI), said that besides the contentious chapters, the
\nbill on labor protection was not enforceable as it would require
\n17 government regulations and 31 presidential decrees to make it
\nworkable.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati will have no time to do this until 2004,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Muchtar, both the workers and employers would
\nhave been involved in the law-making process should the House and
\nthe government be really committed to national reform and want to
\nseek the public's support for the bills.<\/p>\n
He said the government should simplify the complicated labor
\ndispute settlement process in an effort to help low-income
\nworkers who found themselves in difficulties.<\/p>\n
\"Workers who are in dispute with their employers should be
\nallowed to go directly to the labor court if both sides fail to
\nreach a solution during their bipartite negotiations, instead of
\ngoing through mediation, conciliation and arbitration by
\ngovernment officials, who will charge the workers an arm and a
\nleg,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-government-slammed-for-labor-bills-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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