Demo At North Sumatra Regional House of Representatives Office, Labor Asks Jokowi To Fire Minister Of Manpower

Demonstration in front of the North Sumatra DPRD building

MEDAN - Hundreds of workers who are members of the North Sumatran Workers' Alliance MELAWAN "JAHAT 56 TAHUN" demonstrated at the North Sumatra Regional House of Representative's office, on Imam Bonjol Street, Medan City.

They protested against the Regulation of the Minister of Manpower (Permenaker) Number 2 of 2022 concerning Procedures for Payment of Old Age Allowances (JHT).

The leader of the action, Rintang Berutu, said that the policy was very unfair and very detrimental to the Indonesian workers.

"This policy has no conscience towards the workers in the midst of a high rate of layoffs, but the government has even suspended the collection of JHT funds for workers at the age of 56", said Rintang, Wednesday, February 23.

He said that the Minister of Manpower, Ida Fauziyah, should have prioritized the interests and welfare of workers. Not even impoverish the workers.

According to him, the Minister of Manpower's policies is more responsible for the profits and wealth of entrepreneurs.

In addition, his party also criticized the Omnibus Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation by the Government. The reason is, the law is easy to recruit, easy to lay off, and workers can be paid cheaply.

"The rules for layoffs are getting easier and cheaper, the "slavery" outsourcing/contract work system is getting freer and longer, wages are getting cheaper and other rights are reduced", he said.

Rintang added that since the enactment of this law, millions of workers have been laid off and many have been affected by the pandemic.

"So we usually use the JHT security deposit at BPJS Employment as capital to open a business because the severance pay received is very cheap at this time", he said.

For this reason, they asked the government to revoke and cancel the Minister of Manpower Regulation number 02 of 2022 concerning Procedures and Requirements for Payment of Old Age Security Benefits (JHT) aged 56 years.

"Fire Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, Revoke/Cancel Omnibus Law No. 11 of 2021 concerning Job Creation. Reject revision of Law No. 15 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law No. 12 of 2011 concerning Formation of Legislation, Fifth Cancel the planned revision of Law No. 21 of 2000 concerning SP/SB", he concluded.