Empowering home-based Workers
The informal sector provides opportunities when jobs are scarce. The National Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that around 58 percent of Indonesians work in the informal sector, including domestic helpers and home-based workers. However, they lack legal protection which often leads to exploitation. The Rural Capacity Building Agency (Bitra) in North Sumatra trains workers at home on how to form a union and negotiate better pay and workers' benefits, like health and life insurance. Meanwhile, the Forum for Women's Issues (Forum Pemerhati Masalah Perempuan) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and the National Network for the Advocacy of Domestic Workers (JALA-PRT) run schools teaching workers the tools to fight for their rights. A Tempo English report for International Workers Day on May 1.
May 23, 2017
Power in Numbers
People working at home, for companies and factories in North Sumatra, have formed a union with the help of BITRA, a local NGO. Workers can now negotiate for a higher salary.
Samsiah Harahap works from her home in Tanjung Morawa, North Sumatra, spending around nine hours a day making wire tongs for cooking and grilling. Samsiah, whose husband is a factory worker, has never complained about the long hours. She needs the money to s
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