'Most workers do not know their rights'<\/p>\n
Migrant workers suffer from harsh mistreatment by their employers
\nas a result of the poor recruitment system. Worker recruitment
\nagencies, supposedly responsible for the system, appear only to
\nconsider profit. The Jakarta Post talked to some people about the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
Ana, 33, is an entrepreneur who lives in Pejaten, South
\nJakarta:<\/p>\n
It seems both the worker recruitment agencies and the
\ngovernment have taken advantage of migrant workers.<\/p>\n
Most workers do not know their rights. They have no idea to
\nwhom and why they pay the \"service charge\" upon their arrival at
\nTerminal III of the (Soekarno-Hatta International) airport.<\/p>\n
The agencies and government leave them uninformed so that the
\nworkers can be victimized by greedy and corrupt officials.<\/p>\n
The government only issues permit for the agencies but fails
\nto monitor their activities.<\/p>\n
Worse, the agencies force migrant workers to pay a lot of
\nmoney but give them no explanation as to their rights. The
\ntraining given is also so poor that they remain unskilled.<\/p>\n
But I don't want to blame our government for its failure
\nbecause it is already fed up with so many other problems. The
\nissue of migrant workers cannot be the top priority.<\/p>\n
Silo, 30, works at a textile store on Jl. Gajah Mada, West
\nJakarta. He lives nearby with friends:<\/p>\n
Worker recruitment agencies have been acting like a Mafia.
\nThey extort workers very badly.<\/p>\n
I experienced it once when I applied for a job aboard a
\nforeign cruise ship. The agency forced me to pay Rp 4 million
\n(US$470) and to wait for a maximum of four months for a job.<\/p>\n
After six months of waiting, I lost hope. The agency failed to
\nsecure for me the job promised, despite the payment. I forced the
\nagency owner to return my money and I got it. But many of my
\nunfortunate colleagues lost their money and hope at that time.<\/p>\n
I imagine that migrant workers, who apply as housemaids, would
\nbe far more vulnerable to extortion because they are less
\neducated.<\/p>\n
Ambar, 40, works for a private company in Central Jakarta. She
\nlives in Bogor with her family:<\/p>\n
I can't imagine the suffering of our migrant workers. They
\nhave been mistreated by their employers while trying to earn
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
The government should have protected them but in reality has
\nfailed to act toughly to curb irregularities by agencies and
\ncorrupt officers who extort money from workers upon their return
\nhome.<\/p>\n
One of my neighbors works for an agency. I have no respect for
\nher -- I know it's unreasonable and childish.<\/p>\n
As a woman, she should have known the possible consequences
\nfaced by our migrant workers, but she did nothing to stop them.<\/p>\n
She and the agency only think about money and how to
\nmanipulate workers by not providing them the information they
\nneed. She is one of the unscrupulous people who put migrant
\nworkers at risk overseas.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/most-workers-do-not-know-their-rights-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }