Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – Indonesian United Trade Union Federation (FSBPI) General Chairperson Dian Septi Trisnanti says that the Emergency Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (PPKM) are largely not being applied for workers in the textile, garment, footwear and leather manufacturing sectors.
According to Trisnanti, there are scores of TGSL factories in Jakarta, Tangerang, Subang, Sukabumi and Solo which are still fully operational.
"In many industrial centres such as Cakung, Tangerang, Subang, Sukabumi and Solo, scores of factories are still operating at 100 percent", said Trisnanti during a teleconference on Monday July 19.
Furthermore, Trisnanti said that these workers are obliged to work it they do not want to lose their jobs. Moreover, they are often asked to work overtime and work without being provided with protective clothing (APD) and in crowded, closed spaces.
"In closed and crowded spaces, without protective clothing, APD, masks, hand sanitisers, hand-washing facilities, or adequate health facilities such as clinics, early testing, or vitamin supplements", she said.
In addition to this, Trisnanti said, factory clusters have become one of the most aggressive sources of the spread of Covid-19 during the emergency PPKM.
Based on the union's data, over the last two weeks thousands of trade union workers in the TGSL sector have been infected with Covid-19.
"In just the last two weeks alone, thousands of our members in the areas of Cakung, Tangerang, Subang, Sukabumi and Solo have been infected in their workplace or factories", she said.
According to Trisnanti, the emergency PPKM policy which is currently in force still gives the impression of being lax and there are almost never any meaningful sanctions for violators.
"On the other hand, inconsistencies in the PPKM policy are also occurring, such as, restriction on transportation are applied, but activities in other places [allowed]", she said.
"Such as factory production activities, hearings in district courts, and so on, they continue to take place often causing confusion among the public", said Trisnanti.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "FSBPI Sebut Ada Puluhan Pabrik di Sektor Manufaktur Tekstil hingga Sepatu Masih Beroperasi 100 Persen".]