Ed. note: This human trafficking must end. If there was a living wage in Taiwan, domestic workers would apply. The Taiwan government should stop finding ways to exploit people and raise the wages of their workers.
Indonesia to cut worker flow to Taiwan unless treatment improves
2014/12/24 17:15:15
Nusron Wahid, head of the Agency of Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. CNA photo Dec. 24, 2014
Jakarta, Indonesia Dec. 24 (CNA) The Indonesian government may soon stop exporting female domestic helpers to other countries but has declared that it will maintain the flow of workers to Taiwan if their working conditions, such as wages and hours, are improved.
Nusron Wahid, head of the Agency of Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, confirmed Tuesday that what Vice President Jusuf Kalla said a few days ago about Indonesia no longer sending female workers to other countries within five years was correct.
The policy, which was proposed to protect Indonesian migrant workers' rights and benefits, focused particularly on the interests of workers in "informal sectors," Wahid said in an interview with CNA.
Indonesia's government will continue its efforts to secure the same treatment and benefits for those workers as received by those employed in "formal sectors," such as at factories and companies.
The official revealed that his country is preparing to stop exporting domestic helpers overseas in 2017.
Wahid was appointed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to the position after Widodo was inaugurated as Indonesia's new president in October.
The new government has made improving the rights and benefits of migrant workers and overall labor conditions one of its top administrative priorities.
Understanding Taiwan's need for domestic helpers from Indonesia, Wahid suggested a solution to maintain the flow of workers in informal sectors.
Taiwan should comprehensively raise wages for Indonesian domestic helpers based on its own minimum wage regulations, and work hours should be limited to a level consistent with local law, Wahid said.
Domestic helpers should not be on call 24 hours a day and should not live under the same roof as their employers but be housed in dormitories, Wahid said.
If Taiwan can fulfill those requests, migrant worker exports will be continued after 2017, he said.
In negotiations with Indonesia in early December, Taiwan rejected a request to raise the wages of Indonesia domestic helpers working in the country.
The demands on providing separate accommodation and not allowing workers to be on call 24 hours a day could also be problematic because the majority of Indonesian women working in Taiwan are caregivers tending to senior citizens who need round-the-clock attention.
(By Jay Chou and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/ls
Nusron Wahid, head of the Agency of Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, confirmed Tuesday that what Vice President Jusuf Kalla said a few days ago about Indonesia no longer sending female workers to other countries within five years was correct.
The policy, which was proposed to protect Indonesian migrant workers' rights and benefits, focused particularly on the interests of workers in "informal sectors," Wahid said in an interview with CNA.
Indonesia's government will continue its efforts to secure the same treatment and benefits for those workers as received by those employed in "formal sectors," such as at factories and companies.
The official revealed that his country is preparing to stop exporting domestic helpers overseas in 2017.
Wahid was appointed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to the position after Widodo was inaugurated as Indonesia's new president in October.
The new government has made improving the rights and benefits of migrant workers and overall labor conditions one of its top administrative priorities.
Understanding Taiwan's need for domestic helpers from Indonesia, Wahid suggested a solution to maintain the flow of workers in informal sectors.
Taiwan should comprehensively raise wages for Indonesian domestic helpers based on its own minimum wage regulations, and work hours should be limited to a level consistent with local law, Wahid said.
Domestic helpers should not be on call 24 hours a day and should not live under the same roof as their employers but be housed in dormitories, Wahid said.
If Taiwan can fulfill those requests, migrant worker exports will be continued after 2017, he said.
In negotiations with Indonesia in early December, Taiwan rejected a request to raise the wages of Indonesia domestic helpers working in the country.
The demands on providing separate accommodation and not allowing workers to be on call 24 hours a day could also be problematic because the majority of Indonesian women working in Taiwan are caregivers tending to senior citizens who need round-the-clock attention.
(By Jay Chou and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/ls
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