Hundreds of workers from Labour Party and several workers union staged a protest in front of the House of Representative on Tuesday, April,11 ,2023.
The protest is part of the Labour Party and workers union’s campaign against Job Creation Law. President of Labour Party Said Iqbal said that around 500 workers from Greater Jakarta area participated in the protest.
“In this protest, Worker Party criticize two issues. First, reject Omnibus Law Number 6/2023 on Job Creation .While the second is a rejection against parliamentary threshold that wound democracy and perpetuate oligarch,” said Iqbal on April 11, 2023.
Iqbal explained that there are several issues in Job Creation law were highlighted for its unfairness against workers. One of the issues were the fact that the law no longer requires the government and employers to negotiate with the workers union to determine minimum wages. Another issues is the possibility of outsourcing for all kind of jobs, including core positions. “This is a modern slavery,” he said.
In addition, there are also issues concerning lifelong contracts for workers , low severance payment, easy lay off, and removal 2 month holiday. The Job Creation law also allows company to not pay salaries of female workers for menstrual and maternity leave.
The Labour party also concerned about the possibility of working for 12 hours a day because the law allows companies to conduct a 4-hours overtime per day.”
“The fatigue rate and mortality rate of workers will increase because of the long working hours,” Iqbal added.
Iqbal added that his party also concerned about the recruitment of foreign non-skilled laboures and the abolition of criminal sanction in the Job Creation Law. ‘
For farmers, the Labour Party concerned about the existence of the regulation on land bank, which will opens the possibility of land grabbing practices by corporations. The Job Creation Law also allows importers to import rice, meats, salts, and other commodities during harvest seasons. ” The law also abolish criminal sanction for importers who import during harvest seasons,” Iqbal explained.
