Workers union seeks reforms to prevent unrest<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's labor policies must be overhauled to
\nprevent the industrial sector from becoming a source of social
\nand political unrest, a senior union leader said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the only government-sanctioned labor
\nunion, the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI), Bomer Pasaribu,
\ntold a seminar yesterday that the country needed new, more
\ndemocratic and fairer approaches to labor management.<\/p>\n
Pasaribu, who was discussing the issue of minimum wages, said
\nthat, especially in view of approaching market liberalization,
\nIndonesia urgently needed to tackle a host of labor problems,
\nincluding the poor implementation of minimum wage regulations.<\/p>\n
"Unless we act, workers will be the victims," said Bomer, who
\nis also a representative of the ruling political group, Golkar,
\nin the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
"The social-political cost (of neglecting workers' welfare),
\nsuch as we saw in Medan recently...is too high," he said.<\/p>\n
In April last year workers protests turned into ethnic rioting
\nin the North Sumatran capital of Medan, leaving one businessman
\nof Chinese descent dead.<\/p>\n
"Economic approaches are not enough...we need to harmonize
\nmarket economics with market democracy in order to improve
\nworkers' welfare and increase their productivity," he said.<\/p>\n
The one-day seminar on workers' welfare and minimum wages was
\nheld by the United Development Party. Other speakers included Gin
\nSoegianto of APINDO, an association of business employers; lawyer
\nSyahniar Mahnida; and Dr. Sayuti Hasibuan of the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, in a speech delivered by
\nhis staff expert, Yusuf Shamad, said that the increase in the
\nminimum wage scheduled for April would be equivalent to 107
\npercent of workers' minimum physical requirements.<\/p>\n
On April 1 the minimum wage will be raised by between 10
\npercent and 35 percent in 19 provinces.<\/p>\n
The minimum daily wage in Jakarta will rise by 21 percent,
\nfrom Rp 3,800 to Rp 4,600. The minimum wage level is set for a
\nsix-day or 40-hour working week and is calculated on a 30-day
\nbasis. Thus, a worker in Jakarta should take home at least Rp
\n138,000 per month beginning in April, up from Rp 112,000 at
\npresent.<\/p>\n
Gin Soegianto said his association was willing to comply with
\nthe government's plan, but warned that there would be some
\nnegative effects. "Some companies will probably go bankrupt
\ntrying to abide by the new regulations...but then, that will
\ncreate opportunities for other companies," he said.<\/p>\n
Legal action<\/p>\n
On a separate occasion, the Ministry of Manpower's Director of
\nIndustrial Relations Amrinal said 17 more companies have been
\npunished for violating daily minimum wage regulations and failing
\nto pay overtime and annual bonuses.<\/p>\n
The 16 companies -- one in Jakarta, two in Bekasi, four in
\nBandung, two in East Java, five in West Nusa Tenggara and two in
\nNorth Sumatra -- were fined between Rp 75,000 (US$35) to Rp
\n750,000 by local courts, while the owner of PT Cikenereng in
\nLubuk Linggau, South Sumatra, was sentenced to 15 days in prison.<\/p>\n
"The companies were tried by the district courts over the last
\nthree weeks," he said yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said they were among the 96 companies which were taken to
\ncourt late last year for violating labor regulations. Thirty-two
\ncompanies were convicted last December and another 37 companies
\nare still being tried.<\/p>\n
He warned that the government would take stronger action
\nagainst any companies that continue to violate regulations in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
"The government is serious about enforcing the labor laws and
\nimproving legal protection of workers," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, spokesman for the manpower ministry Hermanto R.
\nsaid that his office foiled an attempt to smuggle 51 workers,
\nmostly women, to Hong Kong via the Juanda airport in Surabaya on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
The case has been referred to the East Java police for further
\ninvestigation, he told reporters.<\/p>\n
He said the smuggling attempt was foiled by a 10-person team
\nled by Jack Iskandar, secretary to the director general for
\nmanpower placement.<\/p>\n
"The team found that the 51 workers had no official documents.
\nThe two companies, PT SSU and PT TGP, have no licenses to export
\nworkers," he said. (swe\/rms)<\/p>",
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