IDWF pledges our support and solidarity with all Indonesian workers, especially domestic workers and the people in their fights for a just and fair economy that benefit all.
Details
October 14, 2020
President Joko Widodo
Presidential Staff Office
Gedung Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No.16
Jakarta Pusat 10110
INDONESIA
Your Excellency,
Repeal the Omnibus Law, Stop Labor Informalization, Enact the Domestic Workers Protection Bill!
We are the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), a membership-based global organization of domestic and household workers, consists of 78 affiliates in 61 countries, representing over 500,000 members worldwide. We deeply regret to learn that the Indonesian Parliament has passed the Omnibus Law on Job Creation despite the staggering pandemic and the massive protest that swept all across the country to oppose the Law. The Law which contains 11 clusters, amends 79 laws and more than 1,200 articles, promotes an extensive deregulation in many sectors, most importantly labor. We have a great concern that the labor cluster in this law will significantly undermine the labor rights of the Indonesian workers under the existing Employment Act No.13/2003. It appears that the law is putting interest of investors above everything, detrimental to the rights of workers, environment sustainability and the genuine democratic process of the country.
As a global union of domestic workers, we amplify the voice of 5 million domestic workers and tens of millions of women workers in the informal sector who are under-represented in the law-making process in Indonesia. The current economic development has taken a great advantage of the contribution and sacrifices through the prevailing informalization of the labor sector that is highly engendered. The Omnibus Law will only exaggerate this phenomenon, contrary to the call of the international community, such as the UN to transition the informal to formal and achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals . We believe that the Law will put more women workers in a extremely precarious condition through: flexible outsourcing, less minimum wage, contractualization, longer working hours, easy termination and reduced severance.
It has been 16 years since Indonesian domestic workers led by JALA PRT (Jaringan Advokasi Nasional Pekerja Rumah Tangga/National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy) fought for the National Domestic Workers Protection Bill, demanding the least minimum rights as workers and human beings that they deserve. Instead of finalizing the deliberation of the long-awaited bill, the parliament chose to enact the controversial Omnibus Law and neglected our aspirations for decent work once again.
Mr. President, we believe that to achieve economic growth, job creation and decent work, it is fundamental that the government uphold a constructive industrial relation policy and democratic principles. Therefore, we call on the Indonesian Government to repeal the Omnibus Law, open dialogs with the JALA PRT, and trade unions and pass the domestic workers bill as soon as possible.
IDWF pledges our support and solidarity with all Indonesian workers, especially domestic workers and the people in their fights for a just and fair economy that benefit all.
Regards,
Yours faithfully,
Elizabeth Tang
General Secretary
IDWF
