Money offered to protesting workers

Money offered to protesting workers

SEMARANG, Central Java: A senior official concedes that the ministry of manpower is not responsive enough to the plight of workers.

Workers like to refer their problems to institutions like the House of Representatives, Legal Aid Institute and the National Commission on Human Rights rather than to the ministry or the Director General of Industrial Relations and Labor Standards, Suwarto said last week.

"Ministry officials are not responsive enough about the plight of workers in rural areas, especially in industrial centers," he said.

He said the ministry is considering giving transport money to workers who come to the office to discuss their problems with officials so that they will be more interested in the ministry.

"But it is advised that workers only send a delegation and not come in large numbers by truck," he added. (har/29)