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Field Facts on the Condition of Palm Oil Plantation Workers: SEPASI Calls for Real Change



foto by Qudratullah/Sawit Fest 2021
Field Facts on the Condition of Palm Oil Plantation Workers: SEPASI Calls for Real Change

InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA — The Indonesian Palm Oil Workers Union (SEPASI) has revealed various serious issues still surrounding palm oil plantation workers in Indonesia. In a recent report, Dianto Arifin from SEPASI highlighted poor working conditions, wage systems, and recruitment practices that are vulnerable to human rights violations.

Palm oil plantation workers face two wage systems: piece-rate and time-based. However, both systems often fail to provide income certainty. Female workers involved in fertilization or herbicide spraying, for instance, face heavy workloads without clear wage standards. Weather and work intervals often affect their earnings, which can fall far below the standard of a decent living.

Additionally, the economic burden on workers is increasing as they must purchase their own personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, and aprons. Even tools like harvesting equipment and spraying gear must be borne by them, costing hundreds of thousands of rupiah each month.

Dianto revealed that working in palm oil plantations carries a high risk of workplace accidents. Harvesters, for example, often suffer injuries from falling palm fruit or fronds. There have even been cases of workers suffering blindness due to workplace accidents.

Female workers also face the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals without regular health checks from the company. "Companies should provide medical check-ups and PPE for free, but in reality, workers have to bear all these costs," Dianto emphasized during the End-of-Year Press Conference on Palm Oil Plantation Workers 2024, attended by InfoSAWIT recently.

Non-procedural recruitment practices are also a focus for SEPASI. Migrant workers from outside the island are often recruited through intermediaries without clear employment agreements. As a result, many feel deceived and do not receive wages as initially agreed. Dianto links this situation to the potential for human trafficking, especially when companies wash their hands of responsibility for violations that occur.

SEPASI calls for four main steps to improve the conditions of palm oil plantation workers: first, training and certification for workers, especially women in fertilization and spraying roles. Second, regular health checks to identify the impacts of chemical exposure; third, the provision of PPE and work tools for free by companies; and fourth, strengthening labor oversight by the government, particularly through labor offices in each region.

Dianto hopes these efforts can encourage improvements in labor relations and working conditions in the coming year. "We hope that 2025 will be a turning point for creating a fairer and more humane working environment for palm oil plantation workers," he concluded. (T2)


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