VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President of ASPEK Indonesia, Mirah Sumirat. (FOTO ANTARA/HO-Aspekindonesia.org) - 

The Indonesian Association of Labor Unions (ASPEK Indonesia) has made an earnest request to President Joko Widodo to continue to protect workers' rights during the enforcement of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) for Java and Bali

"We support any government effort to contain the COVID-19 spread in Indonesia. However., we also appeal to the government to protect the rights of workers related to certainties about jobs, wages and welfare," ASPEK Indonesia President Mirah Sumirat said in a written statement released on Saturday.

She noted a quite few companies failed to pay workers and laid off workers unilaterally when the government enforced several times public activity restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The companies did that on the pretext of COVID-19 pandemic, she added

Hence, the Manpower Ministry had to tighten the supervision of the companies which fail to pay workers and lay off workers unilaterally during the emergency PPKM, she said.

"Emergency PPKM should not become an excuse for employers to shun obligation to pay workers and lay off workers unilaterally," she remarked.

With the second wave of COVID-19 infections driving rates of hospitalization and deaths to record highs, the government has decided to impose emergency restrictions in Java and Bali Islands from July 3 to July 20, 2021.

The new restrictions aim to cut daily cases to below 10 thousand and entail a work-from-home guidance for all non-essential sectors and the continued closure of schools and universities.

During the emergency restrictions, public amenities like beaches, parks, tourist attractions, and places of worship will remain closed, while restaurants will be allowed to only offer take-away or delivery services//ANT