Workers Call Outsourcing Workers THR Not In Accordance With The Rules, This Is PLN's Explanation

JAKARTA - PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) or PLN has raised its voice regarding the statement from the Confederation of Indonesian Workers' Unions (KSPI) which states that the company does not pay holiday allowances (THR) to outsourced or outsourced workers in accordance with applicable regulations.

Vice President of Public Relations Arsyadany G. Akmalaputri said that his party always complies with the applicable provisions in accordance with the Manpower Act and internal company policies. Including the fulfillment of the normative rights of employees and workers, especially in terms of payment of THR to outsourced workers.

"In terms of payment of THR, PT PLN (Persero) ensures that it has fulfilled all obligations stipulated in Government Regulation No. 36 of 2021 concerning Wages and Regulation of the Minister of Manpower No. 6 of 2016 concerning Religious Holiday Allowances for Workers/Labourers in Companies," he said, in Jakarta, Thursday, June 10.

Furthermore, Arsyadany said that the issue of THR and the remuneration of vendor workers is the realm of industrial relations between vendor workers and working companies. This means that this is not a matter for PLN.

"Regarding the issue of THR and the wages of vendor workers, this is the realm of industrial relations between vendor workers and working companies, not with PT PLN (Persero)," he said.

Previously, KSPI President Said Iqbal highlighted the alleged violation of the 2021 holiday allowance (THR) by one of the state-owned enterprises (BUMN), PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) or PLN to outsourced (contracted) workers. Iqbal said the THR given was not in accordance with applicable regulations.

"How is it possible for a state company whose capital participation is even injected with additional capital from the people's money but the workers who work in the BUMN, especially PLN, their welfare, wages, THR, are not in accordance with applicable regulations and are exploitative," he said at the conference. press virtually, Thursday, June 10.

The applicable regulations include the rules contained in the circular letter (SE) of the Ministry of Manpower regarding the payment of Religious THR and Government Regulation (PP) number 78 of 2015 concerning wages. Including regulations that have been in effect for almost 10 to 15 years in the country.

Iqbal explained that the provision of THR that was not in accordance with the applicable rules stemmed from a board of directors regulation (Perdir) that appeared suddenly before Eid in 2021. The regulation changed the performance allowance and delta allowance as non-permanent allowances.

"The PLN regulation states that the THR received by PLN outsourcing workers is reduced. In what way? Yes, the performance allowance and delta allowance are fixed allowances and are components to be given to PLN outsourcing as non-permanent allowances," he said.

Iqbal said that this sudden regulation by the PLN directors was detrimental to PLN's outsourcing workers throughout Indonesia.

"Suddenly I said. If we negotiate, if we are told ahead of time, maybe we can understand. Suddenly before Lebaran, a regulation or regulation of PLN's directors was issued, namely changing the performance allowance and Delta allowance which was previously a fixed allowance to be counted as part of the the provision of THR together with the basic salary, is now changed to a non-permanent allowance. So it is not paid in the 2021 THR," he said

Furthermore, Iqbal questioned why outsourced workers had to follow PLN's board of directors regulations. According to him, the board of directors has no right to issue the regulation, because outsourced workers are workers from vendors.

"This is like modern slavery, strangely, welfare is not regulated by vendors or outsourcing agents, but instead is regulated by directors. Why do directors issue regulations (for outsourcing)? It's not the employees," he said.

Iqbal said that as the front line that serves the community directly, PLN should be more humane for outsourcing workers. According to him, so far many outsourced workers have died from electrocution.

However, said Iqbal, unfortunately the families or heirs of the outsourcing workers did not receive any compensation from PLN. This of course needs to be the government's concern for the welfare of outsourcing workers.

"Many PLN outsourcing officers have died from electrocution in remote parts of the country. PLN outsourcing workers are at the forefront of providing and performing maintenance for the people. However, the THR is paid only Rp. 1 million, Rp. 2 million. Even though the Minister said, SOEs lost Rp. 500 trillion, but the year-end bonuses are hundreds of millions," he said.