The deadlock over labor issues between Taiwan and Indonesia showed no signs of improvement with the Indonesian government reportedly barring its workers from leaving for Taiwan yesterday.
The Indonesian government's move came after Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) decided last week to temporarily freeze employment of Indonesian workers, citing Jakarta's inaction to solve major labor issues.
Among the CLA's complaints were high brokerage fees imposed by the Indonesian government as well as rising absconding rates of Indonesian workers and forgery of labor documents.
According to local media reports, the CLA received complaints regarding workers who were prohibited from leaving the country by Indonesian custom officials at local airports.
It has also been reported that a number of labor brokerage agencies received notices from the Indonesian Labor Ministry on Monday regarding a ban on Indonesian maids from coming to Taiwan starting August 5.
The CLA pointed out that the suspension, starting August 1, does not apply to applications filed prior to the effective date. However, the Indonesian government's actions affect the rights of those Indonesians workers who have already acquired working visas from Taiwan, CLA officials said.
CLA stressed that it's possibly to quickly lift the hiring ban on Indonesian workers if Jakarta is willing to lower the high labor-brokerage fees. However, Jakarta's present reaction will only hinder chances for successful negotiations.
CLA Councilwoman Chen Chu also told reporters that it will not be necessary to meet with Jakarta's representative in Taiwan unless the Indonesian government improves labor problems. She added that the council has already come up with supporting measures to protect the rights of employers.
As a remedy, employers can revoke hiring documents for Indonesian workers if they are not able to come to Taiwan, and reapply for permits for workers from other countries. The CLA has looked into the possibility of Vietnam and Thailand supplying more workers.
Currently, there are over 307,500 foreign laborers in Taiwan, and more than 96,000 are Indonesians, with the majority employed as care-givers and maids.
The council also encouraged those in need of care-givers or maids to take advantage of the Interior Ministry's "home caring program" that offers subsidies to families with disabled members who are hiring local part-time care-givers.