Women workers urged to unionize

Women workers urged to unionize

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Indonesian women employed in the transport and tourism field
should form their own union to put an end to widespread gender
discrimination in the workplace, an activist said.

The head of the Indonesian Sailor's Association (KPI), Hanafi
Rustandi, said, as quoted by Antara on Saturday, that demands
raised by women workers were often overlooked in Indonesia, in
contrast to those made by their male counterparts.

"There are some industries that fire women workers just
because they get pregnant. It's inhumane," Hanafi told a seminar
on women and labor unions, which was jointly held here on
Saturday by KPI and the London-based International Transport
Workers Federation (ITF).

"Their association in a labor union will strengthen their
bargaining power in negotiations with employers."

Hanafi added that some women's demands and issues were
neglected by Indonesian sectors such as the demand for menstrual
leave and equal pay, as many women do the same jobs and same work
hours as men.

He said that there were thousands of competent women sailors
in Indonesia who remained jobless due to, among other reasons,
the gender-biased fishing industry, which routinely refuses to
take women onboard.

Due to the fact that gender-biased treatment occurs worldwide,
Hanafi suggested that Indonesian women workers join an
international movement against discrimination in the workplace.

He also warned of woman workers of certain organizations who
claim to defend women's rights but turn out to exploit the gender
issue for the sake of their own interests.

ITF comprises more than 160 organizations representing land,
sea and air transport workers around the world, including KPI.