Laborers still denied their rights: Pakpahan

Laborers still denied their rights: Pakpahan

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor
Union (SBSI) Muchtar Pakpahan said on Saturday that Indonesian
laborers are still unable to freely express their opinions due to
the continuing repression of security apparatuses.

"Indonesian laborers are still apprehensive (to take labor
action), although the country has been one year under President
Abdurrahman Wahid's leadership.

"We can still see security apparatuses' repressive approach
when they handle laborers who join strikes. Police always use
Article 160 of the Criminal Code, on expressing opinions to the
public, as a weapon to halt labor activists' protests," he said
in a media conference evaluating labor affairs in the year 2000.

He said that, during the year 2000, many businessmen banned or
even fired laborers who planned to establish labor unions.

"Such an action is certainly against Law No. 21/2000 on
Manpower," he said.

Pakpahan said that, based on SBSI's investigations, there were
135 cases of intimidation and violations against labor unions,
which involved thugs, members of the political party security
task forces and police officers.

He suggested that the government intensify probes on human
rights violations by security apparatuses, especially in matters
concerning workers' rights.

He suggested that the President remove Minister of Manpower
and Transmigration Al Hilal Hamdi from the cabinet for his poor
understanding of laborers' problems.

"It has been five months since Al Hilal was appointed as
minister but it seems that he still does not understand the
laborers' problems," Pakpahan said as quoted by Antara.

However, he said SBSI would give Al Hilal several more months
to comprehend manpower problems and produce wise policies.

"We understand that Minister Al Hilal has only been in the
position for five months. Therefore, we give him more time to
study the manpower problems," he said.

Pakpahan also reported that from January until December 2000,
75 percent of the laborers' issues of action were related to
their employers' decision to prohibit the establishment of labor
unions, as well as their refusal to grant wage rises, overtime
allowances and menstruation leave.

He said the other 25 percent regarded demands for company
directors to resign, or pension funds.

The labor activist said that SBSI will always support
laborers' actions aimed at bettering their conditions.

"If their demands are not about prosperity issues, we'll ask
all parties to sit down and discuss them together.

"But, if the laborers' demands will just make the companies go
bankrupt, SBSI will suggest that such demands be halted or
delayed," he said.

"In 1998, SBSI even asked companies to lower the laborers'
wages so that they could maintain their operation," he added,
while citing that the laborers agreed because they understood the
companies' real condition.

When asked about PT Ajinomoto, whose product monosodium
glutamate (MSG) is being withdrawn from the market because pig
enzymes were used in a production process, Pakpahan asked the
company not to suspend its workers.

"Just consider the product withdrawal as a debt. Such a debt
could be paid off in several years. And during its debt repayment
term, it could delay increasing its workers' wages. I think if
the management let its workers see its bookkeeping, they will be
willing to accept company policy," he said. (01)