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span class="inline inline-left">Loud and clear: Thousands of workers march down Jl. Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, toward the Presidential Palace on Wednesday. They demanded that the government revoke the 2011 Law on social security providers (BPJS) and the national social security system (SJSN) that they say have failed to improve their welfare. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)Thousands of workers went on strike in cities across the country in opposition to national social security programs that they say are against the Amended 1945 Constitution.

In Jakarta, demonstrators called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to issue a regulation in lieu of law (perpu) to replace Law No. 40/2004 on national social security system in line with the recent decision of the Constitutional Court.

The Constitutional Court stated that the social security programs were part of workers’ rights and therefore, the expense of their employers.

“We reject the national social security programs if workers are required to pay their own contributions,” said Asep Saifullah, a worker from Tangerang.

Asep said workers do not need to pay contributions to receive social security protection and their registration with the Jamsostek social security program should be at the expense of their employers. He referred to article 28 of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that the people of Indonesia have the right to receive social security protection to improve their human dignity.

The draft government regulation that has been prepared to implement the national healthcare program stipulates that workers pay 2 percent of their gross monthly wage and their employers pay 3 percent of their monthly premium to the program.

Deputy Chairman of the National Workers Union (SPN) Djoko Heryono concurred and said the President should issue a perpu to replace the 2004 national social security system law, which required all participants to pay their contributions to the five mandatory programs.

“With the Constitutional Court’s recent verdict, Law No 40/2004 that requires workers to pay contributions is no longer binding and a perpu should be issued immediately to comply with the Court’s decision,” he said.

The Constitutional Court reviewed Chapter 15 of the 2004 National Social Security System Law and on Oct. 8, 2012, decided that employers were obliged to register themselves and their workers to the social insurance providers. In addition, they also decided that workers had a right to the five mandatory social security programs at the expense of their employers.

In Semarang, Central Java, hundreds of workers flocked to the provincial legislative council, voicing their protest against the laws on social security providers (BPJS) and the national social security system (SJSN).

Protester coordinator Nanang Setyono said that the law did not regulate the free social security protection — as promised by the House of Representatives — or lifetime health insurance. He said that only a limited number of diseases were actually covered.

“We feel as if we have been fooled because the law is not what was promised by the House. It does not provide us with free health insurance,” he said.

A similar demand was also expressed by workers from Sidoarjo, Mojokerto, Gresik, Pasuruan and Surabaya, East Java.

“We urge the government to issue a regulation that guarantees lifetime free health insurance and pension funds for workers,” said strike coordinator, Kholid Bahasuan.

Separately, Bambang Purwoko, a social security expert at the Pancasila University, said workers should understand that the national social security system was a blend of social security and social insurance.

“For social security, the mandatory programs are covered by employers and workers do not need to pay contributions. However, in terms of social insurance, workers have to pay their premium to get the maximum benefits,” he said.

Presiding director of state-owned PT Askes I Gede Subawa appreciated the Constitutional Court’s decision in the sense that employers have to cover the transport and administrative cost accrued by workers when they register with the social security providers for the five mandatory programs.