Manpower bill unclear on women's leave rights

JAKARTA (JP): The government-sponsored bill on manpower does not guarantee that the various leave entitlements accorded for women under the present law would be continued, lawyers said.

Nursjahbani Katjasungkana, chairwoman of the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice, said the bill was unclear on woman's leave rights.

Instead, all leaves are treated as ordinary leaves.

"So, it is better to stick to the current law," Nursjahbani said Saturday during a break in a seminar titled Health and Safety at Work in Relation to Female Workers' Reproduction Rights.

Under the current manpower legislation, a female worker is entitled to three months maternity leave and two days menstruation leave each month. The legislation requires employers to allow female workers the opportunity to feed their babies during working hours.

The House of Representatives is currently racing against time to complete deliberation of the manpower bill before the House is dissolved on Sept. 30.

Comprising 18 chapters and 159 articles, the bill has been widely criticized by labor activists and various other groups for not reflecting workers interests.

Apong Herlina, chairwoman of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, said Indonesia already has many regulations protecting women's reproduction rights.

"But there are many employers who still do not recognize these rights," she said.

The discussion, held at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, was attended by dozens of female workers, some of whom discussed the mistreatments they have received at work.

Rosi, a shoe factory worker, said her employer had threatened to fire workers who insisted on taking their menstruation leave.

Eni Sri Wahyuni, another worker, said her employer would excuse women who were having their period, but they must still turn up for work.

The Women for Labor Justice Group, which organized the discussion, also presented posters of women workers who have been victims of sexual harassment and mistreatment by employers.

They include a picture of Elas, who had been physically abused by her employers in Arab Saudi; Sutarmi Samin, who was found hanged in Singapore; and Abu Saini, who died of injuries in Malaysia. (05)