Workers and businessmen unhappy with revised labor bill

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Labor union activists and businessmen have expressed discontent with the changes to the labor bill being deliberated at the House of Representatives, saying the revision fails to accommodate their respective aspirations.

"The revision is worse than the previous one as it reduces workers' rights. We have no other option but to reject the bill," Dita Indah Sari, chairwoman of the National Front for Labor Struggle told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

She threatened to join forces with other labor unions, including the Mukhtar Pakpahan-led Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI), in calling for a national strike by the end of this month if the bill is passed.

"I hope other big labor unions will reject the bill too," she said.

Dita's opposition to the revised bill centers on the omission of 20 articles regarding crimes against workers which may be committed by employers, thus providing workers with less protection.

The revised bill even maintains tight procedures for legal strikes by requiring those involved to obtain support from workers and to report to employers seven days beforehand.

It also only obliges a firm to provide transportation for workers, compared to the previous version of the bill which stipulates that a company must provide transportation for workers until the workers reach their homes.

The labor bill is a package of two bills: a bill on labor development and protection, and a bill on the settlement of industrial disputes.

The earlier version of the bill drew strong protests both from labor unions and businessmen, each claiming that the bill was damaging to their respective interests.

Both parties' uncompromising stance eventually forced the government to revise no less than 35 articles in the bill to avoid further resistance.

The revised edition, however, has retained some contentious issues.

Severance and service payments for dismissed and resigning workers, worshiping and breast-feeding times, facilities at the workplace and payment for striking workers all remain undecided.

Separately, deputy chairman of the Indonesia Employers Association (APINDO) Djimanto said the revisions to the bill still did not provide a conducive situation for firms to operate here.

"We are voicing our complaints as the bill is still over protective of workers," he told the Post.

"If the bill is endorsed, I'm worried that many small and medium companies will collapse due to soaring labor costs, while investment will not come."

Huge companies will also relocate overseas or at least will take various drastic efficiency measures, he added.

Djimanto objected to an article which stipulates that a firm must give a three-months leave for workers who have worked for at least six consecutive years.

He also opposed an article about menstruation leave for female workers, saying that the facility was prone to misuse, thus affecting production.

"We propose that leave for female workers be limited to only maternity leave," he said.

Meanwhile, head of the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) Anton Supit hoped that the government and the House could provide a clear ruling on labor issues as Indonesia is facing stiff competition from other countries.

"Don't make regulations which protect workers too much. Even the United States doesn't adopt such a restrictive labor law as is currently under debate here," he said.