Rights commission observes progress in labor conditions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights has
\nnoticed an improvement in the labor condition in the country,
\nalthough some employers continued to repress the rights of their
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. (ret.) Roekmini Koesoemo Astoeti, a commission
\nmember, hailed the government for its efforts to promote the
\nlaborers' welfare by raising their minimum wage levels.<\/p>\n
\"I see that the (labor) condition is getting better,\"
\nRoekmini, Secretary for the Sub Commission for the Education and
\nPublic Awareness on Human Rights, told The Jakarta Post yesterday
\nafter attending a meeting on the settlement of a labor dispute in
\nher office.<\/p>\n
The government increased the minimum wage levels in nine
\nprovinces by between 19 and 35 percent last month. The other 10
\nprovinces raised theirs in January and April. The daily minimum
\nwages range from Rp 2,500 (US$1.15) to Rp 6,750 (US$3.12).<\/p>\n
Beginning next April, increases in regional minimum wage
\nlevels will be made simultaneously nationwide.<\/p>\n
Roekmini noticed that many workers were still deprived of
\ntheir rights as their employers failed to abide by government
\nregulations on labor, including on minimum wage levels.<\/p>\n
The employers were aware that the number of job seekers is
\nmuch larger than the available jobs. Some exploiters would not
\nhesitate to exploit this condition to their advantage, she said.<\/p>\n
Roekmini also rebuked employers for discouraging workers from
\ntrying to form unions under the umbrella of the All Indonesia
\nWorkers' Union (SPSI). At the same time, she called on workers to
\nobey the manpower ministerial decree on the procedures of the
\nestablishment of trade unions.<\/p>\n
Discuss<\/p>\n
According to the decree, workers must discuss the
\nestablishment of the union with their employers. Labor activists
\nrecently urged the government to withdraw the decree, saying that
\nthis could affect the union's independence.<\/p>\n
Defending the decree, Roekmini said that it was necessary for
\nworkers to discuss the plan to form a labor union with their
\nemployers to maintain harmony in the workplace.<\/p>\n
Roekmini however declined to comment on the controversial
\nIndonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), which is not recognized
\nby the government.<\/p>\n
The government accused SBSI of provoking laborers to stage
\nprotests and violent demonstrations. It is planning to prosecute
\nits leader Mochtar Pakpahan for his alleged involvement in the
\nApril riots in Medan, which resulted in the death of one
\nbusinessman.<\/p>\n
Last week several U.S. Congress members urged the U.S. Trade
\nRepresentative to revoke the GSP (Generalized System of
\nPreferences) trade privilege status given to Indonesia because
\nthe of the worsening labor situation there.<\/p>\n
They cited as an example the arrest of Mochtar and several
\nother labor activists, a move which they claim reflects the
\ndeprivation of labor rights by the authorities.<\/p>\n
Roekmini and two other members of the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights, Djoko Soegianto and Bambang W. Soeharto, yesterday
\nmet with executives of PT Putra Surya Pahala (PSP), officials of
\nthe manpower agency and the Bogor chapter of SPSI executives to
\ndiscuss a labor dispute within the company.<\/p>\n
The commission members called for PT PSP and its lawyer, Frans
\nHendra Winarta, to review their decision to dismiss some 60
\nworkers who recently staged a strike to protest their employer's
\ninvolvement in the establishment of an SPSI unit in the company.
\n(sim)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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