House to press on with labor bill debate

JAKARTA (JP): The four factions in the House of Representatives unanimously rejected yesterday non-governmental organizations (NGO) activists' demands that they postpone deliberation of the controversial manpower bill.

Legislators from the United Development Party (PPP), Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and the Armed Forces agreed to pass the bill by the end of September before their term of office ends.

The government-sanctioned Federation of All-Indonesian Workers Union was the last organization to request the House and the government to postpone deliberation of the bill.

The National Commission on Human Rights, the Foundation of Legal Aid Institute and many other NGOs have demanded that deliberation be postponed until after new legislators assume office on Oct. 1.

They said the bill was too complex for the incumbent legislators to consider properly within three months.

But Tiop Harun Sitorus of the PDI said that three months should be enough for the legislators to come up with "brilliant ideas" to finalize the bill.

PDI has criticized the bill for failing give workers enough support to form an independent union.

The bill contradicts itself because it gave workers from one company the freedom to form their own union while requiring that all workers associations had to be associated with the Federation of All Indonesian Workers, Sitorus said.

Erie Soekardja of the dominant Golkar party said the bill should empower workers to ensure harmonious industrial relations.

Khofifah Indar Parawansa of the PPP said the bill should guarantee the interest of workers, employers and government for the implementation of harmonious industrial relations. (11)