The Indonesian government has renewed demands that recruiters secure a monthly bonus of NT$1000 (US$30) for Indonesian fishermen working on Taiwanese fishing boats.
Agusdin Subiantoro, an Indonesian government official, spoke to Taiwan’s Central News Agency about Indonesia’s demands on Wednesday. Subiantoro’s agency is charged with protecting Indonesian workers abroad.
The government of Indonesia requires overseas employers to submit applications to employ Indonesian nationals abroad. Subiantoro said that Indonesia will only approve applications from recruiting agencies that are able to guarantee the monthly bonuses to Indonesian workers.
Subiantoro’s statement Wednesday is the latest part of an ongoing dispute between labor recruiters and the Indonesian government. In March this year, several Taiwan-based labor recruiters received an unofficial notice that Indonesia would stop sending its nationals to work in Taiwan until further notice.
Representatives from several Taiwanese recruiting agencies met with Subiantoro Tuesday. The two sides failed to resolve their disagreement on giving bonuses for Indonesian workers.