JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) said Wednesday the industrial relations court was ineffective in settling business-related disputes because of a lack of technical guidance.
Apindo chairman Sofjan Wanandi said the ineffectiveness started when many essential points regulated in the law for the settlement of industrial relations dispute were neglected.
"The law requires at least five ad-hoc judges from the associations of employers and workers for every industrial court in every province and region, especially those which have business centers," he told a media briefing.
He said there were only 159 ad-hoc judges and four Supreme Court judges in the industrial court, which was not enough for the current cases.
Apindo said there were about 2,008 reports registered with the courts since it took effect in January 2006.
The industrial relations court was established under the district court. It has authority to examine, prosecute and rule on industrial disputes.
Sofjan said unresolved cases were mounting because of an unclear schedule of trials and required judges.
The law says a trial process in the industrial court requires a judge from district court as a presiding judge, an ad-hoc judge and a court minuter.
"But the presiding judges often miss the trials at the industrial court as they have other things to do in the district courts," Sofjan said.
Sofyan said the delay would affect business people and their companies and adversely affected the investment environment. (ndr/**)
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