Ministry of Manpower Records 5 Provinces with Massive Layoffs

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Manpower revealed that there are five provinces that are severely affected by worker layoff. The five provinces are Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Riau, and East Java.

"In our records, there are 3 million workers who were laid-off, and there are also migrant workers repatriated or failed to depart," said Director-General of the Development of Industrial Relationship and Manpower Social Security of the Ministry of Manpower Haiyani Rumondang in a virtual discussion on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

To prevent prolonged labor issues, Haiyani said that the Ministry of Manpower has carried out six policies. The first policy, as Haiyani explained is that the Ministry of Manpower has released a circular letter concerning labor protection and business sustainability.

The second policy, Haiyani said, that the Ministry of Manpower has restricted and stopped the flow of foreign manpower from China, and preventing people from entering Indonesia during the Large-Scale Social Restrictions period. The third policy, Haiyani explained that the Ministry of Manpower has stopped sending Indonesian migrant workers to destination countries.

As the fourth policy, the Ministry of Manpower has issued a circular on the payment of religious allowance. The fifth policy is the relaxation of Manpower Social Security premiums. As for the sixth policy, the Minister of Manpower has issued a circular letter concerning work accident insurance in the event of Covid-19.

Chief of the Employers' Association of Indonesia (Apindo) Hariyadi Sukamdani, said that the number of workers infected with Covid-19 recorded by the Ministry is different from the number recorded by the employers association. Hariyadi said that based on the data recorded by employers, the number of workers who are infected with Covid-19 has exceeded 6 million.

Hariyadi detailed that 430 infected workers are from the hotel businesses, 1 million infected workers are from the restaurant businesses, 2.1 million infected workers are from the textile industry, 500,000 infected workers are from the shoe industry, 400,000 infected workers are from the retail sector, 200,000 infected workers are from the pharmacy sector, and 1.4 million infected workers are from the transportation sector. Hariyadi said that the number may increase if the government did not make a significant policy.

"What needs to be done is, the government must calibrate regulations, reorganize regulations, that is the main priority," Hariyadi said. Upcoming regulations, according to Haryadi, must consider the balance of supply and demand of manpower.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo previously commented on the issue of layoffs, especially in the micro, small, and medium enterprises during a cabinet meeting. "Please don't that we already had massive layoffs, but not a single penny is absorbed by our economic stimulus," Jokowi said in a Plenary Meeting video dated Thursday, June 18, 2020, which was uploaded on the Presidential Secretariat official Youtube channel on Sunday, June 28, 2020.

Jokowi also requested that small-medium enterprises, the banking industry, and the manufacturing industry be prioritized in the economic recovery program to prevent layoffs.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA