Hera Diani, Jakarta – Many workers are displeased by the government regulating a joint furlough scheme for certain national holidays, saying it is infringing on their right to more time off from the grind of work.
The government announced Monday six days of joint furlough for 2006 and 2007. The government regulated "squeezed days" – work days between national holidays and weekends – to be a joint holiday by counting them toward people's leave. In the past, many companies decided to close anyway due to worker absenteeism on Fridays.
The first such holiday will be Friday, March 31, after the national observance of the Hindu Day of Silence on Thursday.
An employee of a private television station, Kenny Santana, 27, strongly objected to the government's decision. "They're forcing the decision on us while taking over our rights," he said.
Unlike some European countries, where leave can be four weeks or more, Kenny said the 12-day allotment here would be slashed in half by the plan. "The holiday is OK, but not if it reduces our rights," he said.
He added that he preferred the policy of the previous administration under Megawati Soekarnoputri, in which a national holiday falling two days before the weekend was moved to the Friday for a long weekend.
Media company employee Meylin, 26, also disagreed. "People should have the freedom to choose when they would like to take their leave," she said.
Another media employee, Antonius Sulistyo Prabowo, said the government's decision was flawed. "How can the government make a decision like this just because Friday is between two holidays on Thursday and Saturday?" the 26-year-old said.
The decision, he added, would lead to worker unproductivity because they would be on holiday when they should be working. "The government instead decided to give them time off. I believe that it will make us lazy to get back to work on the next Monday," Antonius said.
Annisa Muharammi, 23, a copywriter in an advertising agency in Jakarta, welcomed the government's decision and has already made plans to go on holiday.
"I definitely agree with the decision because this month I have to face a lot of jobs from clients and deal with pressing deadlines. The holiday will give me breathing space among my deadlines."
Apart from March 31, other joint furloughs will be on May 26 for the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ, Aug. 18 for Independence Day, and Oct. 23, 26 and 27 for Islamic Idul Fitri celebration. Meanwhile, next year's joint furlough will be on Oct. 12, 15, and 16 for Idul Fitri, and Dec. 21 for Idul Adha, as well as Dec. 24 for Christmas.