Luhut's Message To Employers During Emergency PPKM Period: Don't Forget Workers' Rights

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan reminded employers not to forget workers' rights amidst the implementation of emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM).

The Java-Bali Emergency PPKM Coordinator understands that the restrictions will indeed burden entrepreneurs. However, he asked for the understanding of entrepreneurs to be able to carry out the policy.

"All of this requires sacrifices from all of us. From employers, I ask that they be able to regulate the workforce, especially those who are subject to the 50 percent maximum staff rule, while those who must work from home (WFH) 100 percent please pay attention to the rights of workers. I know Once again, I understand how hard it is for entrepreneurs, but this is a problem for all of us," said Luhut at the Mutual Cooperation Declaration event which was monitored virtually from Jakarta, Tuesday.

Luhut emphasized that employers should not forget the rights of workers. He also promised that the government would help those who were negatively affected by the emergency PPKM policy.

"I also ask that we all don't forget the rights of our workers and I promise to optimize government resources to help parties who are negatively affected by this emergency PPKM," he said.

Luhut revealed that he had arranged talks with the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy to be able to ease the burden on the parties affected by the emergency PPKM.

"I have arranged talks with the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, about how we can try to alleviate this. Of course, we will seek input. I have also spoken with some business friends, Kadin for example, to resolve this," he said.

On the other hand, Luhut emphasized that the government would be consistent in implementing emergency PPKM. The government's target is that within three weeks there must be a flattening of COVID-19 cases starting in early August.

"We are consistent with the implementation of this emergency PPKM, and for 3 weeks we have to see this case start to flatten and decline starting in early August and we begin to relax if the trend of this case continues to decline and the BOR (Bed Occupancy Rate) will also improve," he said

Therefore, the Deputy Chair of the Covid-19 Handling Committee and National Economic Recovery (KPC PEN) asked workers and employers to work together to comply with the emergency PPKM policy, especially complying with health protocols.

"In my opinion, the main key is not drugs, not vaccines, but health protocols and we have to be parallel, to be able to control the future regarding this COVID," he said.