Joint Press Release Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) and Peoples Struggle Unity (KPR)
Jakarta, 1 May 2020. Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) together with Peoples Struggle Unity (KPR) demand the State (Government and Parliament) responsibility which has neglected the arbitrary actions against labour rights. This is shown by the policies issued by the State that are very biased of interests, such as the Omnibus Law on Job Creation as well as an economic stimulus and social safety net programs in handling the pandemic, which opens up a space for profit taking by political elites and their cronies.
Reject Omnibus Law, Not Moratorium
Today, the members of KPR all over Indonesia simultaneously took to the streets on International Labor Day to reject the Omnibus Law and the policy of handling the impact of covid-19 that unjust to labor. This omnibus law becomes a key point of deregulation failures that since the beginning has been done by Jokowi’s government and proved to be unsuccessful inflates people’s welfare.
“We urge the Government and the Parliament to cancel a whole Omnibus Law. The moratorium in discussing the employment cluster was not our demand. Moreover, the coercion of the government and the Parliament to accelerate the discussion of Omnibus Law in the midst of a pandemic shows that Omnibus Law is an entrust product of capitalists, and not for peoples welfare. Especially the people’s voice channels to ensure that this discussion does not continue has been closed by the government “, Herman Abdulrohman affirmed, The Chair Person of KPR.
The state’s impartiality towards the labors fate and people is when the handling of covid-19 is only focused on efforts to address national economic growth issue, rather than preventing the loss of human lives due to the pandemic.
“The seriousness of the government in handling Covid-19 is really questionable. In this difficult situation, the government has no good faith in dealing with this crisis, the overlapping policies to overcome this situation make labors more vacillate in uncertainty. Thus, in the midst of this covid-19 situation, KPR as an organization should take the risk of doing protesting in front of the government office even though it faces the risk of covid-19 contagion. But it must be taken because the government has closed their eyes and ears over the peoples condition who are increasingly suffocated, “again, Herman explained.
Social Justice Inequality
Justice inequality has been clearly done by the State. Layoffs of ten thousands of Indonesian labour cannot be answered with the law firmness by the State. Employers continue to lay-off and even without paying labour rights, whereas various economic stimulus have been enjoyed.
“The State nowadays should be able to act firmly against companies that only want to take profits from various economic stimulus launched by the Government, without reducing the burden of the Government in facing the greater social and economic crisis. The Government should put legal sanctions for employers who do not implement State orders, “said Rachmi Hertanti, Executive Director of IGJ.
Whereas, the social safety net program on Pre-employment Card issued by the Government are really inefficient and missed the target. The government seems to force the program implementation with a digital scheme, which is online registration.
“The government should Replace the pre-employment card scheme with a social scheme that is more efficient and targeted for layoff victims, especially in the midst of this pandemic. The government does not need to force this pre-employment card scheme applied in the midst of a pandemic. The program is prepared for normal situations and not in the midst of a pandemic. There are still a lot of workers as layoff victims that cannot access the program due to technical problems. In the end, this program, again, will not be able to save the lives of workers and their families in facing the crisis in the midst a pandemic “, Rachmi added.
The other social justice inequalities are related to the economic transformation agenda under the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. According to IGJ, the Government of Indonesia seems to implement economic and industrial transformation to the trend of digitizing technology, and pre-employment cards is the solution prepared by the Government with expectation to be able increase the skill of labor that can be absorbed in the digital-based industrial models. However, the Government’s unpreparedness on its infrastructure has only re-created the impact of social injustice to Labour.
“Instead of implementing economic and industrial transformation, the bill of Omnibus on Job Creation instead deepens the trap for the labour. It is due to the deregulation of labor issues which adopt a new form of industrial relations based on digital technology will have implications for the loss of the protections of labour’s rights, as well as being an excuse for employers to avoid their obligations, “Rachmi explained.
Strengthen the Economy of People’s Production
Learning from the economic crisis that had happened before, it was proved that again, the people’s economy was the backbone of the crisis savior. When the production monopoly conducted by the large industrial model cannot be carried out during the pandemic, people’s production has instead become the frontline in fulfilling the basic needs of society extensively.
“The economic monopoly by the elites should end immediately. If the Government believes that today’s economic backbone is people’s production, then the agenda now is bring back all economic resources into the people’s hands. Industries that can not produce should be taken over by labour and build collaboration and solidarity with other organizations in realizing the production chains from people’s production. Herman closed.
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For further information:
Rachmi Hertanti, Executive Director of IGJ: 0817-4985180
Herman Abdulrohman, General Head of KPR: 0822-13426109