Saudi Arabia pledges to protect RI workers<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Saudi government has vowed to enforce the new labor contract
\nto provide the basic rights of Indonesian maids working in the
\nIslamic country.<\/p>\n
Director General of Migrant Labor Placement at the Ministry of
\nManpower and Transmigration I Gusti Made Arka said he had
\nreceived a diplomatic note from the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta to
\ninform him about the Saudi government's plan to enforce the new
\nlabor contract.<\/p>\n
\"After a three-month suspension, the Saudi Embassy is slated
\nto start issuing work permits for Indonesian citizens wanting to
\nwork in Saudi Arabia. The issuance of new work permits will be
\nfollowed by the enforcement of the long-awaited new labor
\ncontract,\" he told a news conference here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The government has suspended labor exports to Saudi Arabia in
\norder to list all Indonesian workers working there and to review
\nthe labor contract.<\/p>\n
According to data from the manpower ministry, some 600,000
\nIndonesians work in Saudi. However, the number is believed to
\nhave increased to more than one million since many Indonesians
\nuse pilgrimage visas to enter the country, but remain there to
\nwork.<\/p>\n
Indonesia sends between 15,000 and 20,000 workers to Saudi
\nArabia per month. Most are employed as domestic helpers.<\/p>\n
The new labor contract designed by a joint team from the two
\ncountries sets the monthly wage for new maids at 600 riyal
\n(US$160) and for experienced workers at 900 riyal. The previous
\nlabor contract did not regulate minimum wages.<\/p>\n
\"It is the first time that minimum wages for housemaids has
\nbeen regulated,\" Arka said, adding that previously the wage of
\nnew workers was determined based on negotiations between
\nIndonesian labor exporters, their Saudi Arabian counterparts and
\nemployers.<\/p>\n
The new contract also stipulates that workers have the right
\nto take one day off per week, to rest for at least eight hours a
\nday and have contact either with Indonesian representatives in
\nSaudi Arabia or their relatives back home.<\/p>\n
\"These main labor standards are included in the labor contract
\nto give legal certainty to Indonesian workers about their wages,
\nhealth care, leisure time and other fundamental rights as
\nstipulated in the ILO convention on workers' basis rights,\" Arka
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The new contract also requires employers and foreign agencies
\nto provide their addresses and phone numbers in order to allow
\nIndonesian authorities and their workers' relatives to stay in
\ncontact, especially if the maids encounter trouble.<\/p>\n
Arka also said Indonesia was still negotiating with Saudi
\nauthorities to give annual and biannual leave to Indonesian
\nworkers and that the negotiation's results would be included in
\nthe bilateral labor agreement scheduled to be signed by the two
\ncountries in September.<\/p>\n
He said the Saudi government had also signaled that it would
\naccept the proposed agreement, which covers not only workers'
\nbasic rights but also the general rulings the two countries would
\nadopt to provide protection for Indonesian workers as required by
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
\"The draft agreement has been studied by the Saudi government
\nand there are indications it will accept it and sign it in time,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
As required by Law No. 39\/2004 on labor exports, the
\nIndonesian government has proposed a bilateral labor agreement
\nbecause unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, Arab Saudi has
\nno special regulations to protect foreign workers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/saudi-arabia-pledges-to-protect-ri-workers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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