Jamsostek seeks help from labor union

Jamsostek seeks help from labor union

JAKARTA: State-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek signed an
agreement with the National Labor Union (SPN), a unit of the
Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions, to register more
workers with the company's social security programs.

With the signing of the memorandum of understanding, SPN will
help Jamsostek register its members for social security programs,
while Jamsostek will provide financial aid to cover the
administrative costs of the workers' registration.

"SPN has 470,000 members employed at 435 companies nationwide,
but only part of them are registered with Jamsostek, meaning that
many others are not protected," said SPN chairman Bambang
Wirahyoso in a speech at the signing ceremony.

Jamsostek president Iwan P. Pontjowinoto said his company was
committed to providing financial aid to labor unions as part of
agreements to help improve the welfare of workers.

"We are approaching labor unions to sign up more workers to
take part in our social security programs, because of about 30
million workers employed in the formal sector, only 24 million
are registered with Jamsostek," he said.

Manpower and transmigration minister Fahmi Idris, who
witnessed the signing of the agreement, called on other labor
unions to help ensure the protection of their members by signing
them up for social security programs. -- JP