Laborers still denied their rights: Pakpahan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor
\nUnion (SBSI) Muchtar Pakpahan said on Saturday that Indonesian
\nlaborers are still unable to freely express their opinions due to
\nthe continuing repression of security apparatuses.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian laborers are still apprehensive (to take labor
\naction), although the country has been one year under President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's leadership.<\/p>\n
\"We can still see security apparatuses' repressive approach
\nwhen they handle laborers who join strikes. Police always use
\nArticle 160 of the Criminal Code, on expressing opinions to the
\npublic, as a weapon to halt labor activists' protests,\" he said
\nin a media conference evaluating labor affairs in the year 2000.<\/p>\n
He said that, during the year 2000, many businessmen banned or
\neven fired laborers who planned to establish labor unions.<\/p>\n
\"Such an action is certainly against Law No. 21\/2000 on
\nManpower,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan said that, based on SBSI's investigations, there were
\n135 cases of intimidation and violations against labor unions,
\nwhich involved thugs, members of the political party security
\ntask forces and police officers.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the government intensify probes on human
\nrights violations by security apparatuses, especially in matters
\nconcerning workers' rights.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the President remove Minister of Manpower
\nand Transmigration Al Hilal Hamdi from the cabinet for his poor
\nunderstanding of laborers' problems.<\/p>\n
\"It has been five months since Al Hilal was appointed as
\nminister but it seems that he still does not understand the
\nlaborers' problems,\" Pakpahan said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
However, he said SBSI would give Al Hilal several more months
\nto comprehend manpower problems and produce wise policies.<\/p>\n
\"We understand that Minister Al Hilal has only been in the
\nposition for five months. Therefore, we give him more time to
\nstudy the manpower problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan also reported that from January until December 2000,
\n75 percent of the laborers' issues of action were related to
\ntheir employers' decision to prohibit the establishment of labor
\nunions, as well as their refusal to grant wage rises, overtime
\nallowances and menstruation leave.<\/p>\n
He said the other 25 percent regarded demands for company
\ndirectors to resign, or pension funds.<\/p>\n
The labor activist said that SBSI will always support
\nlaborers' actions aimed at bettering their conditions.<\/p>\n
\"If their demands are not about prosperity issues, we'll ask
\nall parties to sit down and discuss them together.<\/p>\n
\"But, if the laborers' demands will just make the companies go
\nbankrupt, SBSI will suggest that such demands be halted or
\ndelayed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"In 1998, SBSI even asked companies to lower the laborers'
\nwages so that they could maintain their operation,\" he added,
\nwhile citing that the laborers agreed because they understood the
\ncompanies' real condition.<\/p>\n
When asked about PT Ajinomoto, whose product monosodium
\nglutamate (MSG) is being withdrawn from the market because pig
\nenzymes were used in a production process, Pakpahan asked the
\ncompany not to suspend its workers.<\/p>\n
\"Just consider the product withdrawal as a debt. Such a debt
\ncould be paid off in several years. And during its debt repayment
\nterm, it could delay increasing its workers' wages. I think if
\nthe management let its workers see its bookkeeping, they will be
\nwilling to accept company policy,\" he said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/laborers-still-denied-their-rights-pakpahan-1447893297",
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