RI-S'pore agreement on labor

RI-S'pore agreement on labor

SINGAPORE: Indonesia and Singapore would sign a new agreement to protect Indonesian workers, mostly serving as maids in the neighboring city state, an Indonesian diplomat said.

Unlike the previous agreement, the new accord document would be written in two languages -- Indonesian and English, said Renvyanis Gazali, the diplomat dealing with labor affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.

He said that with the new agreement, Indonesian workers were expected to understand the document and be able to carry out their duties properly as well as resolve possible disputes with their bosses.

"So far, they have just signed it without knowing the material content of the agreement," Gazali said on Monday.

He said that if a dispute occurred between an Indonesian worker and their employer, they could settle it on the basis of the new agreement.

Gazali said the cases of labor disputes against Indonesian maids working in Singapore were frequently due to misunderstandings with their bosses. -- Antara