Trade union demands hospital for workers<\/p>\n
Wahyuana, The Jakarta Post, Bekasi<\/p>\n
Several workers' unions in Bekasi urged the government to
\nestablish a special hospital for workers where they can receive
\nquality treatment and where insurance claims can be expedited.<\/p>\n
Dwi Haryanto, deputy of Bekasi's All-Indonesia Workers Union
\n(SPSI), revealed on Friday that the number of work-related
\naccidents was high; reaching up to 564 cases per month.<\/p>\n
\"The health service provided by the state's Workers Social
\nProtection Scheme (Jamsostek) is not enough,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek is working together with hospitals in Bekasi to
\nestablish a trauma center and special clinic for workers aimed at
\nproviding emergency care and to facilitate insurance claims.<\/p>\n
However, according to Dwi, not all the health centers gave
\nquality care for the workers as promised.<\/p>\n
\"We're are treated differently to other patients because we
\ndon't pay the hospitals in cash. When one of the workers died in
\nan accident at the work place, his family could not get the
\ninsurance to pay the hospital expenses so they could bury the
\nbody immediately,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Fajar Winarno, secretary of the Federation of Workers in the
\nElectronics, Metal and Machinery Industries in Bekasi demanded
\nthat Jamsostek establish a special hospital and that the
\ngovernment should improve health services for workers.<\/p>\n
\"The red-tape to get our insurance claim paid is
\nunbearable ... it can take months,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek marketing director Dadang Kusnadi revealed on Friday
\nthat the company has disbursed a total of Rp 4.48 billion
\n(US$503,820) to pay insurance claims from workers in Bekasi since
\nthe beginning of this year.<\/p>\n
\"Half of it was paid for work-related accidents and work-
\nrelated health problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As an emerging industrial zone, Bekasi is home to at least
\n2,124 factories which employ a total of 350,000 workers. However,
\nonly 1,000 factories and 180,000 workers are registered with
\nJamsostek.<\/p>\n
In line with a manpower ministry decree on workers' welfare,
\nBekasi Mayor Akhmad Zurfaih issued an order last Tuesday to all
\ncompanies and factories to immediately register the workers with
\nJamsostek.<\/p>\n
According to Dadang, Jamsostek has already established new
\nschemes for informal workers such as public transport drivers,
\nojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers, salespeople and home industry
\nworkers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trade-union-demands-hospital-for-workers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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