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