International Labor Day celebrations in many parts of the country on Tuesday were marked with street protests. In addition to the welfare issue, celebrations were also highlighted by opposition to the presence of foreign workers.
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KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO
Thousands of workers from various organizations stage a rally outside the State Palace in Jakarta during May Day on Tuesday (1/5/2018). They demanded improved welfare.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – International Workers\' Day or May Day events were held on Tuesday in several regions, including East Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, South Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi.
In Ambo, the Confederation of Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions (KSBSI) agreed not to stage a rally and instead held a discussion with police.
In particular, the protesting workers in a number of areas criticized Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No 20/2018 on the use of foreign workers (TKA). A number of the labor activists rejected the Perpres, which they claimed had failed to protect Indonesian workers. However, other labor organizations did not object to the regulation.
The commemoration of Labor Day was also marked by political activities, including the declaration of support from the Indonesian Workers Union Confederation (KSPI) for Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate in 2019 at the Istora Senayan sports complex in Jakarta on Tuesday. In Yogyakarta, the celebration was marked by clashes between protesters and the police.
Foreign workers policy should be tightened
Among the protesters, representatives of three groups of workers marched to the Presidential Palace. They were met by the Presidential chief of staff, Moeldoko , Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri, accompanied by the deputy IV to the Presidential chief of staff, Eko Sulistyo, at the Bina Graha office.
On Tuesday morning, the chairman of the Indonesian Working People Confederation (KRPI), Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, submitted their five-point demands to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The KRPI urged the establishment of a national research body on industry blueprints in Indonesia.
The KRPI also demanded decent wages and the protection of manpower. The manpower minister was also asked to be more careful in issuing a regulation on foreign workers. The labor supervising committee was also asked to take an active role. Temporary workers in government offices who have worked for many years should be appointed civil servants.
KSBSI, led by its president, Mudhofir Khamid, and the Confederation of All Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI) through its secretary-general, Hermanto, asked the government to protect Indonesian workers.
A better wage regulation is needed to ensure a fair wage system. The government is also expected to involve workers in issuing employment-related policies. Regarding Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018, labor groups also asked the government to protect Indonesian workers. Control over foreign workers should be tightened and it could involve trade unions.
"For Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018, we want its implementing ruling to be in favor of Indonesian workers," said Hermanto.
Moeldoko said the government’s human resource development was focused on the reduction on social gaps. Vocational education was encouraged. Employment-related policies would also involve unions.
Regarding Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018, Moeldoko asked all workers to read the new regulation properly, so that they would not receive inappropriate information. The new presidential regulation was actually issued to protect Indonesian workers. The Presidential regulation would be followed up with the issuance of a ministerial regulation governing the supervision and requirements of foreign workers.
Manpower Minister Hanif said Perpres No. 20/2018 had actually simplified the licensing of foreign workers. Foreign workers are allowed in Indonesia under Law No. 13/2003 on manpower. "The presidential regulation does not give wider opportunities for foreign workers to work [in the country]," he said.
The manpower placement and expansion of employment opportunities director general at the Manpower Ministry, Maruli Hasoloan, said the supervision on foreign workers had been carried out regularly and routinely by special teams, at the central and regional levels, in coordination with the immigration office and the National Police. However, as the number of had companies increased, the quality and quantity of the supervision of foreign workers needed to be improved, involving trade unions, he said.
Separately, a number of worker organizations did not reject the presence of foreign workers as long as they could support Industrial Revolution 4.0, on the condition that there was a transfer of knowledge and technology during their working period in the country.
The president of KSPSI, Andi Gani, and the president of KSPI, Said Iqbal, separately, said Indonesia needed transfer of technology and science from foreign experts, especially in the field of digital technology. The presidential regulation requires foreign workers to teach local workers. "There should be a transfer of knowledge and technology from foreign workers to local workers," Andi said during the celebration of the Labor Day in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Said noted that Industrial Revolution 4.0 required human resources with digital technology skills. He agreed to foreign workers working in Indonesia as long as they could transfer such skills to local workers.
The coordinator of the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) in South Sumatra, Niftahul Firdaus in a rally in Palembang urged the government to inspect foreign workers in the province. Niftahul suspected many foreign workers worked illegally in South Sumatra.
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