More workers protest controversial labor bill

JAKARTA (JP): About 300 workers claiming to represent their colleagues in Java and Sumatra held a noisy demonstration outside the House of Representatives yesterday in another round of protests over the manpower bill.

The demonstrators, waving banners and flags depicting their place of origin, were dressed in black T-Shirts and red headbands with the words Tolak RUUK Versi Depnaker (Reject the Ministry of Manpower's version of Labor Bill) written on them.

They were accompanied by dozens of students and activists from non-governmental organizations.

Wiyana, a young worker from Bandung, West Java, said he and his fellow workers came to Jakarta at their own expense.

"We want our representatives here to heed our aspirations concerning the bill which we think will burden us with stipulations that say workers who strike get no pay," Wiyana said.

The House's deliberation of the manpower bill drew criticism from the press, labor observers, and legal experts last month when it held closed government-sponsored deliberations in a luxurious hotel while the House was in recess.

Many were also amazed when the House's open session then sped up deliberations on several of the bill's substantial articles.

But legislators and the government claim to have inserted many improvements during deliberations like an agreement to include an article allowing the drafting of another bill on unions.

Despite the apparent strong will to push the bill through, demonstrators remained unperturbed yesterday.

The head of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institue's labor division, Teten Masduki, said "we just want legislators to heed workers' aspirations".

He said he saw some hope in the broadcasting bill which the House passed but then had to be re-deliberated after the president returned it to the House.

"So, why can't the same thing happen with the manpower bill which has already been deliberated?" Teten asked.

He said there was little information available on possible changes to the bill made during the latest round of deliberations. (aan)