Govt lifts ban on sending workers to Saudi Arabia
JAKARTA (JP): Talks between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have resulted in lifting a temporary ban on sending workers to Saudi Arabia starting March 1.
Both countries also agreed to respect their respective labor laws in a bid to overcome problems of labor protection and stagnant labor exports to that country, an official said.
Director General for Labor Placement Din Samsuddin said on Saturday that this was the result of a three-day meeting in Riyadh, from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19.
Din led an Indonesian team from the Ministries of Manpower and Foreign Affairs, the House of Representatives and the Association of Labor Export Companies to the talks with the Saudi Arabian government team.
"The two countries teams agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in labor," he said.
Over the last two months, Indonesia temporarily stopped sending workers to be employed in the informal sector in Saudi Arabia. The government has also refused to issue work passports to Indonesian workers, causing a decline in labor exports.
Saudi Arabia, a main destination of Indonesian workers, was last recorded to be employing 7,000 Indonesian workers, mostly elementary school and high school dropouts, with wages between 600 riyal (US$160) and 800 riyal.
Saudi Arabia declined to issue visas after Indonesia issued a new ruling requiring prospective employers to go to the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh or its consulate in Jeddah to have their order for workers legalized. The Saudi government rejected what it said was Indonesia's interfering in internal affairs.
Indonesia issued the ruling following years of uproar of many workers having inadequate protection. The ruling stated rights should be included in labor contracts signed before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Reports by Indonesian women employed as maids in Saudi Arabia, and other countries, have included those on abuse and torture.
Contracts
The ruling stipulates that labor contracts should also be legalized by the Indonesian Embassy before being sent to Indonesia, to be signed by workers before they leave for Saudi Arabia.
Representatives of the host country had pointed out that it was impractical for employers to come themselves, given the distance of the Indonesian office from their homes.
Din said the two countries have also agreed that Saudi Arabian labor agencies are allowed to represent employers to bring job orders and labor contracts to the Indonesian Embassy for legalization.
He added that the two countries agreed that labor contracts and their contents would be negotiated between workers and employers, and their signing would be witnessed by their own labor agencies.
Contracts for workers employed in the informal sector abroad should contain monthly wages, holidays, working hours, overtime payment and health allowance or facilities. (rms)