SBY Urges Better Safeguards For Migrant Worker ‘Heroes’

Jakarta Globe, June 15, 2011

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the conference
of the International Labor Organization in Geneva that Indonesia
has a special interest in migrant worker rights. (Reuters Photo)

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Geneva. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday called on member states of the International Labor Organization to support a new treaty that offers protection to migrant workers.

“We must support the ILO convention for domestic workers,” Yudhoyono said, adding that the treaty was important to his country as a “large proportion” of the country’s migrant workers are domestic workers, known in Indonesia as pembantus.

“I believe that this convention can provide guidance to the sending, and host governments to protect migrant domestic workers,” he told the ILO conference.

The landmark treaty, aimed at protecting an estimated 52.6 million domestic workers worldwide, would ensure these employees enjoy conditions “not less favorable” than other workers.

It would require governments to ensure they understood these workers’ rights, preferably through written contracts.

The document also offers domestic workers a full rest day every week, and prevents employers requiring domestic workers to remain with an employer’s household during their annual leave or rest days.

In his speech, Yudhoyono also said no country should ignore the contribution of migrant workers to the world labor market.

“We in Indonesia call them heroes in respect to their hard work for the welfare of their families,” he said.

“This is a very important issue for Indonesia because a large portion of the country’s migrant workers abroad work in the domestic sector,” he added.

He said Indonesia would continue to cooperate with a number of countries to improve conditions, especially in terms of wages and days off.

Labor protection groups in Indonesia have been urging the government to improve the welfare of domestic workers by passing a law that guarantees their rights as well as obligations.

Many domestic workers in Indonesia work seven days a week with tasks that start at dawn and run to late at night.

Meanwhile, cases of Indonesian workers abused in their workplaces overseas are common, but there are no clear solutions from the government to prevent similar cases.

Following a spike in abuse of Indonesian migrant workers, the government had enforced a moratorium on sending workers to three countries — Jordan, Kuwait and Malaysia.

In April, Yudhoyono said he hoped economic growth would eventually provide enough jobs at home, so that within 15 years Indonesians would not need to seek work abroad to support their families here.

AFP, Antara

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