Government submits two labor bills to House

Government submits two labor bills to House

JAKARTA (JP): The government sought the House of
Representatives approval on Monday of an international convention
on children workers and a bill on trade unions in a bid to
improve laborers' conditions and human rights protection.

Speaking in his delivery speech before a House plenary session
presided over by Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, Minister of Manpower
Bomer Pasaribu suggested that Indonesia ratify ILO Convention No.
182 on Elimination and Immediate Action for Elimination of Worst
Forms of Child Labor because its content upheld the 1945
Constitution and the laws on human rights and minimum age for
employment.

The convention prohibits all forms of slavery action against
children, such as child trade, forced labor and deployment of
children for war. It also bans the trade of children for
prostitution and pornographic products, the deployment of
children for illegal activities, including the trade of banned
drugs.

"The planned ratification of the ILO convention is a
reflection of the government's commitment to protecting children
and creating a conducive climate for children to develop their
own future," he said.

Bomer said that once the House ratifies the convention, the
government would take measures against all forms of child abuses
and identify all dangerous jobs or prohibited activities for
children.

According to the law on minimum age for employment, children
aged under 18 years old are subject to the convention.

Bomer said the convention is one of eight fundamental ILO
conventions. Indonesia has ratified six of them, including ILO
conventions on freedom of association, prohibition of child labor
and on minimum wage for employment.

Indonesia will be the first country in Asia Pacific to ratify
convention No. 182, according to Bomer.

He said the government drafted the bill on labor unions to
follow up the ratification of ILO convention No. 87 on freedom of
association and protection of workers' right to organize.

The bill deals with worker's rights to form a union, labor
union's independence, registration of labor unions and settlement
of disputes among labor unions.

According to the bill, workers have rights to join in existing
labor unions or organize their own unions. It also stipulates
that labor unions can be disbanded only by the court and they are
allowed to receive financial assistance either from domestic or
overseas donors.

Bomer said labor unions are obliged to register themselves
with the Manpower Ministry for practical, administrative and
technical reasons.

"If all labor unions are registered, it will be easy for the
government and employers to make contact in handling labor
disputes. The government will no longer interfere in their
internal affairs as happened in the past," he said.

There have been 26 labor unions, including the Federation of
All Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI) and the Indonesian
Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), registered with the ministry.

He said the bill was drafted by the government in cooperation
with the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) and several
labor unions. (rms)