KSPI on Emergency PPKM: 'Protect Labor Rights'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions or KSPI, Said Iqbal, responded to the plan of extension of the emergency PPKM for 4-6 weeks. He said that basically, KSPI agreed upon the extension of the emergency PPKM with clear and firm arrangements.

However, KSPI asks for the government to also ensure that there are no violations of labor rights. Due to the possibilities that in the emergency PPKM situation, companies are terminating the employment relationship or laying off workers.

“To be honest, currently the threat of the rise of layoffs is in sight. Because currently, many companies have invited trade unions to negotiate regarding employee reduction programs," stated Said Iqbal in a written statement, Wednesday, July 14th, 2021.

In addition, said Iqbal, there have been workers who have been laid off and it is certain that their wages will be cut. Due to this reason, workers plead for the defiant entrepreneurs who have laid off workers in the midst of a pandemic and cut their wages to be dealt with firmly. KSPI requested the implementation of emergency PPKM is followed by protection of labor rights.

Simultaneously, KSPI also affirmed its support for vaccinations funded by the state in order to accelerate the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, KSPI does not agree with the existence of paid vaccinations, which can certainly lead to vaccine commercialization.

In addition, according to Iqbal, the government needs to pay attention to the level of transmission of Covid-19 in the company cluster. In several companies, KSPI estimates that the number of workers exposed to Covid-19 reaches 10 percent. Even many workers died.

"The problem is, the workers don't have extra money to buy vitamins and medicines when they are self-isolating," Said Iqbal said.

Previously, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the implementation of restrictions on Emergency PPKM would be extended for up to 6 weeks. This is done to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases.

Due to the remaining high risk of the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia, as well as the emergence of the delta variant, the government decided to extend the restrictions on societal mobility.

"Emergency PPKM for 4-6 weeks is carried out to contain the spread of Covid-19 cases. Societal mobility is expected to decrease significantly," Sri Mulyani said in a presentation during a joint working meeting with the DPR RI Budget Agency, Monday, July 12th, 2021.

Therefore, the government will continue to strengthen state budget spending to respond to the negative impact of the increase in Covid-19 cases towards the Indonesian economy. Not only that, the acceleration of Covid-19 vaccination must also be encouraged to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021.

Read also: Jakarta Ready if Govt Decides to Extend Emergency PPKM

CAESAR AKBAR | MAUDEY