NGO reports exploitation of RI migrant workers in Taiwan
NGO reports exploitation of RI migrant workers in Taiwan
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A non-governmental organization claimed on Thursday that the
majority of Indonesian migrant workers (TKIs) in Taiwan were
abused and urged the government to take necessary measures to end
their agony.
Peter O'Neill, director of the Taiwan-based Hope Worker's
Center (HWC), said most Indonesian workers in Taiwan were not
aware of their rights and thus did not report when their rights
were violated.
Indonesian workers in Taiwan number 88,116, accounting for
28.87 percent of total migrant workers in Taiwan.
TKIs have to pay large placement fees to the Indonesian
brokers (PJTKI) who secure work for them.
"On top of that, working hours imposed on Indonesian domestic
helpers are exploitative, reaching on average 16 to 18 hours a
day, seven days a week," O'Neill said at a media conference held
by the Center for Indonesian Migrant Workers (CIMW) and the HWC
at the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration on Thursday.
O'Neill alleged that brokers trimmed NT$118,635 (about
US$3,300) from a domestic helper's or caretaker's salary over a
three-year contract period, against the official amount of
NT$66,000. In comparison, the Philippines charges NT$24,000 as a
placement fee.
At a meeting with manpower and transmigration officials on
Thursday, the HWC urged the government to hire and send TKIs to
Taiwan directly and to be more active in protecting the rights of
workers and change regulations and contracts in order to protect
workers' rights.
Coupled with other fees levied by the Taiwanese government,
the sum paid by a migrant worker reaches at least NT$200,195 over
three years.
Sumarjono, director of protection for workers at the ministry,
said that the government was fully aware of markups by Indonesian
brokers.
"So, we have been investigating PJTKIs that violate the rules.
We will revoke the licenses of those proven to have marked up the
fees," he said.
As for the demand for the government to hire and send TKIs
itself, Sumarjono said the government had considered it but
concluded that Indonesia, unlike the Philippines, was not ready
to run such a program.
"We still need private sector assistance in recruiting migrant
workers," he said without elaborating.
The NGO said that some brokers treated workers inhumanely
prior to their departure to Taiwan and that many workers were
sexually abused by their employers.