Revision of manpower ministry decree a setback: Activists
Revision of manpower ministry decree a setback: Activists
JAKARTA (JP): Labor activists expressed anger over the
revision of Ministry of Manpower Decree No. 150/2000, calling it
a setback and disaster for workers.
Beno Widodo, the coordinator of the Committee of Workers'
Struggle Unity, and lawyer Sudarto told The Jakarta Post in
separate interviews on Tuesday that the new decree, No. 78/2001,
limited the rights of workers.
"It is a setback. The new decree tends to benefit employers
and limit the rights of workers. The new decree is the result of
collusion between business circles and the authorities,"
Sudarto, who heads the labor division at the Surabaya Legal Aid
Institute, said in Surabaya.
According to Sudarto, Decree No. 150/2000, issued by then
minister of manpower Bomer Pasaribu, was ideal for workers.
"Businesspeople had to treat workers in a very fair manner once
the decree was issued. Now that the decree has been revised, the
government has started destroying workers' rights. With the new
decree employers can now ask workers they don't like to quit,
instead of dismissing them."
Current Minister of Manpower Al Hilal Hamdi approved the
revised decree on May 4, 2001.
Decree No. 150/2000 stipulated that employers were obliged to
provide workers who resigned compensation and a bonus for their
"dedication". According to Decree No. 78/2001, workers who resign
will only receive the compensation.
The old decree did not set any terms workers who resigned had
to meet to receive the money, which the new decree does.
According to the old decree, workers who were dismissed for
serious violations were still entitled to "appreciation" money
and compensation, while the new decree rules that these workers
will only receive compensation.
The new decree states that workers who are absent for at least
five consecutive days to take part in protests or strikes will be
subject to current regulations. The old decree contained no such
stipulation.
"The new decree is a disaster for workers, who have been
defeated in the majority of disputes with employers," Sudarto
said.
Beno Widodo shared this opinion, saying that for workers the
most important points in the new decree were the elimination of
appreciation money and the article on taking part in strikes.
"The new decree really weakens the position of workers and
paralyzes their freedom of expression," Beno said in Bandung.
"The new decree says that workers who are absent for five days
for protests/strikes will be considered as having resigned and
will not be entitled to compensation. What if the employees are
joining a strike to fight for workers' rights? Will they be
dismissed for that?"
Beno accused the government of failing to invite labor unions
at the national and provincial levels to take part in discussions
on the revisions.
He also criticized both the executive and legislative branches
for failing to stand up to pressure from businesspeople.
But publicly listed milk producer PT Sari Husada said the
revision of the decree would not change its treatment of
employees.
Felix Mulia, the company's vice president, speaking on the
sidelines of a ceremony at its plant in Kemudo, Klaten, to mark
the company's 29th anniversary on Tuesday, said his company was
not influenced by the new decree.
"Decree No. 150/2000 was on the side of workers but everything
was all right for both our workers and our company. Now I see
that the new decree is not very good for the workers, but there
is no need for us to change our policy on labor just because the
government recently issued this new decree," he said.
(23/25/nur/sur)