"Most Indonesian workers are unskilled."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Sofjan Wanandi declared that the government must change its employment law (Law no. 13 of 2003) to eliminate outsourcing practices.
"Employers only follow the law. If the workers want to eliminate outsourcing practices, the government must change the law," Sofjan Wanandi said here on Tuesday.
Although almost all countries worldwide implement outsourcing practices, Sofjan remarked that Indonesian employers would accede to their elimination.
"I think the government, employers and workers must sit together to solve this problem," he added.
He further noted that only unskilled workers received low wages, while skilled workers in Indonesia are given the living wages.
"Most Indonesian workers are unskilled. So the government must upgrade the workers` skills to tackle global challenges."
According to Sofjan, employers and workers in Indonesia share a good relationship. For example, the employers give workers attention by facilitating them to express their aspirations in May Day.
According to Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, the government must protect local industries to facilitate a good living for workers.
"The government must protect through the removal of illegal charges, bureaucratic reforms, pro-policy infrastructure, energy subsidies to the domestic industry and tax breaks for employers," she stressed.
She noted they all did not happen, so production cost becomes high. This certainly impacts the efficiency of efforts, including reducing the rights of laborers and workers.
"The government must be serious in protecting workers," she added.
A total of 100,000 workers participated in a rally covering several landmarks in Jakarta to commemorate May Day. The participating workers have come from the Greater Jakarta region, consisting of Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi.
The workers have four primary demands: first, they want the government to implement the Public Health Insurance programme (Jamkesmas). Second, the workers want mandatory pension payments. Third, they want the government to revoke its low-wage policy by revising the minister`s decision no. 17 of 2005 on the Proper Living Standard. Fourth, they want the government to eliminate outsourcing practices.
(Uu.I025/INE/H-YH/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
