Workers, employers close to agreement
Workers, employers close to agreement
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta
Workers and employers have inched closer to a workable agreement
with regard to several contentious and crucial issues in the
labor protection and development bill, which is expected to be
endorsed by the House of Representatives this month.
Four key issues that have been recently settled by employers
and labor unions during their discussions over the past four
months dealt with industrial strikes, sabbatical vacations,
dismissals and severance payments.
Muhammad Rodja, secretary general of the Reformed SPSI, said
that both sides were of the same opinion that workers were
obliged to let their employers and security authorities know
about any planned strikes and that any strike focusing on labor
rights would still allow the strikers to be paid by the employer.
Labor strikes aimed at protesting any public policy would be
funded by labor unions.
Musni Tambusai, director general for industrial relations at
the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, said that both sides
were also of the same opinion that workers employed for six years
consecutively had a right to a two-month sabbatical, in addition
to their the annual vacation time.
He said labor unions and employers also could understand that
workers who were dismissed for committing crimes would receive
only payments equal to any annual bonuses outstanding, while
those who resigned voluntarily would receive a service payment to
be agreed upon by both sides.
The Association of Indonesian Employers (Apindo) appreciated
the mutual understanding between workers and employers on their
own demands and objections to the bill, saying it had been long
awaited by both the industrial sector and the House.
"With the mutual understanding, both employers and workers
have a new awareness to maintain companies as sources of profit
for investors and sources of income for workers," Apindo Deputy
Chairman Djimanto told The Jakarta Post by telephone.
He called on the House to review the jail sentences the bill
threatens to impose on employers who violate the law because not
all violations committed within a business environment were
crimes.
"The bill should threaten to impose administrative sanctions
and fines in line with ILO conventions," he said, referring to
the UN labor agency.
The House decided to cancel the bill last November as a
response to objections and protests lodged both by employers and
labor unions.
Musni, Rodja and Djimanto said they hoped the House and the
government would agree to endorse the bill this month since both
sides (workers and employers) had settled their differences.
The bill on labor protection is scheduled to be brought up by
the House's special committee at a plenary meeting on Feb. 11 for
endorsement.