Councillors reject labor bills

Councillors reject labor bills

BEKASI: Councillors from Bekasi mayoralty have voiced their
objections to two bills on workers' affairs, which they say will
adversely affect workers if they are passed into law.

The two bills are the Dispute Settlement on Industrial
Relations (PPHI), and Workers Protection and Supervision
(PPK).

Salim Musa, a council from the National Mandate Party (PAN)
faction, said he would organize thousands of workers from Bekasi
to march to the House of Representatives/People's Consultative
Assembly (DPR/MPR) building if the bills were passed into law.

"Workers in Bekasi reject the bills because they will cause
misery to hundreds of thousands of workers in the city," Salim
was quoted by Antara as saying.

One of the articles of the bills rules about the working
contract system, in which workers are temporarily employed. This
has worried workers because they will have no guarantee for their
future.

Sardjono Saputro, a councillor from the Indonesian Democratic
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said the bills were no better than
Law No. 25/1997, which is planned to be replaced by the two
laws.--JP