House to press on with labor bill debate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The four factions in the House of
\nRepresentatives unanimously rejected yesterday non-governmental
\norganizations (NGO) activists' demands that they postpone
\ndeliberation of the controversial manpower bill.<\/p>\n
Legislators from the United Development Party (PPP), Golkar,
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and the Armed Forces
\nagreed to pass the bill by the end of September before their term
\nof office ends.<\/p>\n
The government-sanctioned Federation of All-Indonesian Workers
\nUnion was the last organization to request the House and the
\ngovernment to postpone deliberation of the bill.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights, the Foundation of
\nLegal Aid Institute and many other NGOs have demanded that
\ndeliberation be postponed until after new legislators assume
\noffice on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n
They said the bill was too complex for the incumbent
\nlegislators to consider properly within three months.<\/p>\n
But Tiop Harun Sitorus of the PDI said that three months
\nshould be enough for the legislators to come up with "brilliant
\nideas" to finalize the bill.<\/p>\n
PDI has criticized the bill for failing give workers enough
\nsupport to form an independent union.<\/p>\n
The bill contradicts itself because it gave workers from one
\ncompany the freedom to form their own union while requiring that
\nall workers associations had to be associated with the Federation
\nof All Indonesian Workers, Sitorus said.<\/p>\n
Erie Soekardja of the dominant Golkar party said the bill
\nshould empower workers to ensure harmonious industrial relations.<\/p>\n
Khofifah Indar Parawansa of the PPP said the bill should
\nguarantee the interest of workers, employers and government for
\nthe implementation of harmonious industrial relations. (11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-to-press-on-with-labor-bill-debate-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}