Labor export frims protest over workers' poor protection<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Around 200 labor export companies have
\nthreatened to cancel their partnership with local insurance
\ncompanies following their failure to provide protection for
\naround 1,000 workers in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Association of Indonesian Labor Export
\nCompanies, Saleh Alwaini, said on Wednesday more than 200 member
\ncompanies may stop paying the premium for the workers sent
\noverseas in protest for the poor protection workers have been
\ngiven.<\/p>\n
\"According to the 1998 Ministerial Decree on labor protection,
\ninsurance companies covering workers overseas are obliged to
\nprovide protection, including legal assistance, accommodation and
\nseverance pay and repatriation fees, for the workers,\" Saleh said
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He said that of the 1,000 complaints received from workers in
\n1998, 800 were from workers in Saudi Arabia and 200 from workers
\nin Malaysia. The complaints included arbitrary dismissal,
\nwithholding of wages, and even rape and torture.<\/p>\n
The association said it would ask its member companies to
\nshare responsibility for the cases.<\/p>\n
Asked about the recent report that 80 workers were stranded
\nfor two months in Saudi Arabia, Saleh said the insurance company
\nshould be held responsible.<\/p>\n
\"If it refuses to handle the cases, we will stop paying
\npremiums for the workers and will ask labor export companies
\nthemselves to provide insurance for the Indonesian workers
\noverseas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 80 workers, sent by PT Nur Afalah, a labor supply firm,
\nlast November, went on a strike when they discovered they were to
\nbe employed in department stores in Riyadh. Their contracts said
\nthey were sent to Saudi Arabia to work in hotels.<\/p>\n
S. Udi Joewono, a representative of the Beringin insurance
\ncompany, said he had not been informed of the case.<\/p>\n
\"The labor export companies have the right to withdraw their
\nparticipation in our insurance scheme, but they should have
\nconsulted us first,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also promised to protect the 80 workers.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the labor companies' association and
\nstate-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek announced that they
\nhave given Rp 5 million to Imas Enan, a worker from Karawang in
\nWest Java, who was tortured by her Saudi Arabian employer last
\nSeptember. Imas' face and other parts of her body were badly
\ninjured when the employer threw acid at her.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek's spokesman Ronny Irawan said the money was to
\ncompensate for Imas' suffering.<\/p>\n
All Indonesian workers employed overseas are obliged to pay Rp
\n140,000 in premium to local insurance firms. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/labor-export-frims-protest-over-workers-poor-protection-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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