President To meet With Labor Union Representatives

Jakarta, April 29 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday afternoon is scheduled to meet with representatives from some labor unions in Indonesia to discuss labor issues ahead of May Day commemoration next May 1. Information from Presidential Palace received here on Monday stated the meeting will take place this afternoon at 3.30 West Indonesian Time (WIB). Meanwhile Chairman of Indonesian Workers Union Council (MPBI) Said Iqbal said during meeting with President Yudhoyono workers representatives will ask the president to withdraw plan of increasing fuel price and accelerate the implementation of health insurance for all Indonesians starting January 1, 2014 instead of the initial plan of implementing it gradually until 2019. "We decline cheap wage and demand the government to erase outsourcing system in employing people," he added. Earlier Vice Chief of Jakarta Legal Aid Institute Restaria Hutabarat calls on state-owned enterprises to erase outsourcing system in hiring employees for supporting staff saying that such policy is harmful to employees. "Outsource employees get smaller salary than the regular staff. They can also be subject to sudden termination of employment by the company and other violations such as inappropriate salary value and inability to get leave permit and other companies` facilities," she said. Restaria expressed hope CEO of state-owned enterprises will make commitment to erase outsourcing system which will be considered as a small step towards full eradication of such system in Indonesia. "It is possible for state-owned enterprises to make such commitment among themselves," she added. Outsourcing system has long been a debated issue in the country. Last 2012, some 3 million workers took to the streets in many cities across the country demanding higher wages, revocation of the outsourcing system, and implementation of health insurance for all Indonesian citizens by January 1, 2014.