The protection of couriers is as important as the protection of e-commerce consumers
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Manpower Ministry has said it is coordinating with the Transportation Ministry on resolving the issue of shipping rates following a meeting between ministry officials and representatives of e-commerce couriers and drivers.



The partnership pattern between couriers and companies will be evaluated and studied thoroughly so that the bargaining position of couriers, both for applicators and delivery service companies, can be more equal, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, said in a statement here on Friday.



"The partnership relationship should not limit the rights and work safety of couriers," she remarked.


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According to Fauziyah, long working hours can potentially make couriers prone to accidents, and due to low delivery rates, they often work beyond their capacity.



"The protection of couriers is as important as the protection of e-commerce consumers," she emphasized.



The Ministry of Manpower had held a virtual meeting with several e-commerce couriers on Thursday (August 12, 2021) in response to a petition on website change.org entitled 'Minister Ida, Please Protect e-commerce Couriers, They Are Not Safe and Prosperous'.


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At the dialogue, which lasted for about two and a half hours, the couriers were accompanied by a number of organizations, such as Emancipate.id, the Online Drivers Association, TURC, Lalamok, the Workers' Union 4.0, and several academics from Gadjah Mada University.



During the dialogue with Manpower Ministry officials, the couriers voiced several complaints ranging from the issue of shipping rates, long working hours (10-12 hours), unpleasant treatment from customers, an unhealthy partnership pattern, the absence of regulations that protect them, to work agreements that are mostly verbal, not in the form of written contracts.


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Translator: Devi Nindy, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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