Migrants curse government's negligence

Migrants curse government's negligence

JAKARTA (JP): The Hongkong-based Indonesian Migrant Workers
Union (IMWU) criticized on Tuesday the government's negligence in
protecting Indonesian workers overseas and demanded that it
establish labor protection laws and regulations.

Union representative Sri Bintarti said the government could
not remain silent about the rising problems facing migrant
workers in Hongkong and other countries.

"Some of us in Hongkong are unfortunate enough to deal with
dishonest agents and heartless employers, but we can't do
anything out there because government help is impossible to
access," Sri told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Tuesday.

Compared to their Filipino counterparts, Indonesian workers
lag far behind, she said.

"The Philippine government, through its consulate, has
arranged everything for the workers, including conditions that
have to be met by the prospective employers. They are given two
days off, so they only work five days a week," she said.

Filipinos are paid an average HK$3,670 (Rp 5.1 million) per
month for a five-day week while Indonesians are paid between HK$
1,800 (Rp 2.5 million) and $2,000 (Rp 2.8 million) per month for
a six-day working week.

"Worse off are workers who cannot speak English or Cantonese,
who easily fall prey to deceit. Often, when they arrive at
Hongkong airport, they are forced to sign a document stating that
they are paid according to the local minimum basic salary,
although they actually receive less than that," Sri said.

Sri said that the Indonesian workers had 10 percent of their
salaries deducted for the first seven months and given to their
agents, who usually refuse to be held responsible for anything
that happens following their placement.

Most of the Indonesian workers, Sri said, have reported their
problems to the local Hongkong labor department which she
described as "very accommodative".

"But why doesn't our country have an attache there, despite
the fact that many of our citizens are taking on communication
difficulties?" she said.

There were 57,327 Indonesian migrant workers registered in
Hongkong as of February 2001, with at least 48 percent of them
being underpaid.

Data from the manpower and transmigration ministry revealed
that between Jan. 1, 1999 and Jan. 19, 2001, a total of 875,301
people worked as migrant workers in several countries, mostly in
the Middle East. (emf)