Indonesian workers continue fighting for decent wage, better benefits by Fardah

Jakarta, May 4, 2019 (ANTARA) - International Labor Day or May Day is celebrated annually on May 1 by workers across countries to highlight certain causes—better wages, better benefits and improved working conditions.

In more than 80 countries, including Indonesia, May Day is a national holiday. This year’s theme of International Labor Day 2019 is “Sustainable Pension for all: The Role of Social Partners”.

Many workers in Indonesia, however, do not have pension benefits and, in fact, are still struggling for basic rights such as decent wages.

Thousands of Indonesian workers across the country commemorated Labor Day on May 1. In Jakarta, at least 40 thousands workers, including journalists, expressed concern as many of them are underpaid, and lack social benefits and protection.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) demanded that media companies abide by the Law on Manpower and be consistent in implementing the regulation.
 

President of the Confederation of All Indonesia Labor Union (KSPI) Said Iqbal said May Day was a reminder to labor activists to continue fighting for their cause.

“The welfare of workers, including contract workers, must be improved. Social insurance for health and manpower must be improved and electricity tariff must be reduced,” Iqbal said, adding that the outsourcing system must also be abolished.

KSPI invited presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto to speak before workers during the May Day gathering held at the Indoor Tennis court in Senayan, Jakarta, on May 1.

"Workers are the backbone of the national economy. Laborers, together with farmers and fishermen, produce products for the nation and the people," Subianto said.

'Happy labors day. May the workers' struggle for the certainty of the future of the workers and their families materialize,” the retired general said.

May Day rallies across Indonesia, and particularly in Jakarta, were relatively peaceful and orderly, except for Bandung (West Java), where unknown intruders triggered chaos.

"The security situation in Indonesia while commemorating May Day could be termed as highly conducive," Head of the National Police Information Bureau Brigadier General Dedi remarked.

A total of 80 thousand joint personnel of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Indonesian National Police, and municipal police units were stationed to ensure that the security situation was under control.

"May this atmosphere be maintained during every commemoration of May Day," Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri said, lauding the conducive conditions during May Day.

Human resources development is high on the list of the government's priorities in 2019, the minister said.

"Right now, we need quality human resources in adequate numbers, which are evenly distributed across Indonesia," he said.

According to him, the real problem currently facing Indonesia in the manpower sector is inadequate expertise.

The problem is not merely the responsibility of the government, but of labor unions and employers as well, he said.

To deal with the disparities in expertise, the Jokowi Administration is continuing to improve the classification of vocational training, he said.

"Vocational training is aimed at providing the labor force with soft and hard skills to enable them to find jobs and open businesses," he said.

The Jokowi government has also taken various steps to improve the welfare of workers, including raising their wages every year, launching a worker housing program and expanding social security for workers, according to the minister.

Meanwhile, the Jokowi Administration has pledged to materialize three agreements reached during a meeting between President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and several leaders of labor unions in Bogor, West Java, on April 26, 2019, Chief of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko said.

"The meeting yielded three agreements and all of them will most likely be materialized," Moeldoko said at the Jakarta Police Headquarters on May Day, following the inauguration of a help desk for workers at the police office.

First, the President agreed to revise the Government Regulation (PP) No 78 year 2015 on salaries, as soon as possible.

"The Government needs to review and even revise the PP No 78 Year 2015. We want to look for a new formula, which will mutually benefit both workers and businessmen. The role of the Government to find a new balance is not easy," he said.

Second, the President is considering establishing childcare rooms in every company and in the industrial zone so children are not neglected because their parents are working.

Third, the Government has decided to set up help desks for workers in every police office across Indonesia to sort out complaints from workers. Sixteen help desks for laborers have been established in several provinces.

CHINESE INVESTMENT AND CONSEQUENCE OF FOREIGN WORKER PRESENCE IN INDONESIA by Fardah

Jakarta, Jan 20 , 2017(Antara) - Chinese investment in Indonesia has increased significantly over the last several years, making China the third largest investor in the country after Singapore and Japan.

        The total value of Chinese investments reached US$1.6 billion in the third quarter of 2016, with West Java being the biggest recipient at Rp82 trillion. This is followed by East Java with Rp60 trillion, Banten with Rp43 trillion and Jakarta with Rp42 trillion.  
    China's technology sector is one of the main industries that helped boost Chinese investment in Indonesia, according to the director of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Wisnu Soedibjo, in Jakarta on Jan 19. 
    Singapore and Japan have also widely used Chinese technology in their production lines, he added.

         Due to the increase of Chinese investment, companies have also brought Chinese nationals to the country on a temporary basis, along with their expertise on how to use specialized technology until their knowledge can be transferred to local staff.    
    Soedibjo added that his agency did not have the authority to influence the Chinese investors' decisions regarding the use of their technology and their employee hiring policies.

         Data from the Manpower Ministry and the Immigration Directorate General indicated that 21,121 Chinese workers have applied for permits to work in Indonesia.

         During 2016, the ministry handled 1,324 cases of visa or working permit violations involving Chinese workers.

CLOSELY SUPERVISING TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS by Fardah

Jakarta, Jan 16, 2017 (Antara) - Reports on arrests and deportations of foreign workers have become quite frequent lately, as regional authorities across the country have intensified supervision over foreigners to prevent violation of working permits or visas.

         There is no data on the total number of foreigners detained or deported nationally, but sporadic reports were available.

         On Jan 10, the Cirebon immigration office in West Java deported four Chinese nationals to Beijing for violating their stay permits in Indonesia.

         Raja Ulul Azmi, head of the Cirebon immigration office's supervision and enforcement section, stated that although the Chinese citizens arrived on visit visas, they were in fact working in a Hebel factory in West Palimanan Village, Gempol Sub-district, Ciberon District.

         "They entered the country in August 2016 using visit visas obtained through a sponsor," he revealed.

         In East Java, the immigration office of Surabaya detained seven Chinese workers for violating their stay permits in Indonesia.

         While inspecting an iron and steel industry plant on December 29, 2016, immigration officers found 16 Chinese workers at the company. All except the seven accused held legal documents permitting them to work in Indonesia.

         The seven only had visit permits issued by the Indonesian embassy in Beijing. They also did not have recommendation documents from the Indonesian manpower office.

WORKERS TO HAVE HOSPITAL AS "GIFT" ON INDEPENDENCE DAY by Fardah

    Jakarta, Feb 25, 2013 (Antara) - When the Indonesian people will celebrate the country's Independence Day on August 17 this year, blue-collar workers are expected to receive "a special gift" by having their own hospital.

        "A special hospital for workers is expected to be ready on August 17, 2013, coinciding with the commemoration of Indonesia's Independence Day," State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said in Jakarta recently when inaugurating the groundbreaking of the construction of the hospital for laborers.

GOVT STARTS REALISING PROMISES TO WORKERS by Fardah

       Jakarta, May 8, 2012 (ANTARA) - On the eve of May 1, when workers all over the world, including in Indonesia, celebrated May Day or International Labour Day, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced "special gifts" for Indonesian workers.
        "This year is very special for Indonesian workers because the president has issued a number of strategic decrees to promote their living standard," said Daniel Sparingga, the president`s special aide for political communication, in a press statement on April 30.