UNAIR NEWS – “Being a professor is a mandate as well as a challenge as an educator.” It was Prof. Dr. Sutinah, Dra., MS statement opening her oration at the professors inauguration ceremony at the Garuda Mukti Hall, Management Office Building, Campus C, Universitas Airlangga, December 15, 2021.
Prof. Sutinah, as he is known, was officially inaugurated as the 19th Professor of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. She obtained the title after 39 years of serving as an educator at UNAIR since 1982.
In becoming a professor, the woman born in Kulon Progo in 1958 did research highlighting Capitalism and the Threat of Exploitation, especially regarding efforts to fulfill the rights and protection for outsourcing workers in Indonesia.
“In the era of increasingly competitive business competition, companies focus on their core business. Meanwhile, other supporting work is delegated to other parties (outsourced, ed). It is the company’s strategy to increase profits and develop investment,” she said.
Prof. Sutinah explained at least three forms of discrimination in work contracts and outsourcing in various companies. First, age discrimination and marital status. Wage discrimination and welfare. Moreover, lastly, discrimination on the right of being in an association.
Even though outsourcing is considered detrimental to workers because of low wages and is discriminatory in nature, on the other hand, a very high unemployment rate is why the government legalises outsourcing. The outsourcing system is also the best alternative for fresh graduates to get work experience.
According to her, workers should not be considered to have a comparative advantage. However, it must be positioned to have a competitive advantage and high competitiveness.
“That should be the role of the state to protect workers by providing them with skills and expertise. So that workers have quality and are able to compete,” said Prof. Sutinah.
But the opposing fact is true. Some companies take advantage of the pandemic moment to carry out Termination of Employment (PHK) for specific reasons. Even though the company continues to carry out production activities as it should.
Closing her presentation, Prof. Sutinah underlined that the withdrawal of investment for foreign exchange will encourage the country’s economic growth rate. However, if it is not supported by a solid social foundation (welfare and fair treatment for workers, ed), then in the long term, it is not impossible that it will backfire and shake the country’s economic resilience.
“Foreign investment and aid are indeed very important for development. Even so, we really hope that the government should remain committed to protecting workers,” she concluded. (*)
Author: Erika Eight Novanty
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
