Manpower bill unclear on women's leave rights
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)