Proposing Independent Vaccination, Indef Remind Employers Not To Cut Employee Salaries For Vaccine Costs

JAKARTA - Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) researcher Rusli Abdullah said the mutual cooperation vaccine will benefit companies so they can resume normal operations. Because according to him, the case of the spread of the COVID-19 virus will greatly impact the operations of each company.

Even so, Rusli reminded not to let the costs of the mutual aid vaccine program be burdened on employees through wage cuts or the absence of a salary increase next year.

"Do not let the company burden this, and then burden it to workers through wage cuts," he said, in a webinar entitled 'Welcoming Mutual Cooperation Vaccines', Tuesday, February 23.

According to Rusli, the mutual aid vaccine program can help the government achieve the vaccination target and create group immunity. He hopes that the government will map with business sectors that are given priority to receive mutual cooperation vaccines.

"Maybe it could be started from companies that are labor intensive, are in the red zone, are export commodities, or have a big impact on the economy," he said.

On the same occasion, the entrepreneur ensures that they will guarantee the cost of the mutual aid vaccine or independent vaccine. This means that the cost of vaccination will not be borne by employees but will be borne by employers.

Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, explained that the price of mutual aid vaccines will be set by the government. However, not for commercialization.

Meanwhile, said Shinta, the procurement of vaccines will be carried out by PT Bio Farma (Persero) as the holding for a pharmaceutical BUMN. Later, entrepreneurs will buy the vaccine.

"The goal is for the company to pay for its employees to be vaccinated, so there is no element of commercialization," said Shinta.

Shinta said that employers have the role of buying vaccines and then injecting them into workers or employees. The companies participating in this program are voluntary and not required.

"So the company pays for its employees to get vaccines for free. This is optional. You don't have to join this program," he said.