KSBSI Ensures The Trend Of Layoffs Will Continue Until The End Of The Year: Especially In The Labor Intensive Sector

JAKARTA - The Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI) ensures that the trend of Termination of Work Relations (PHK) in Indonesia will continue until the end of this year.

KSBSI President Elly Rosita Silaban said the layoff trend would continue until the end of the year, especially in the labor-intensive sector.

"It could be (the layoff trend continues). It will definitely happen, especially in labor-intensive (sectors)," said Elly when met by VOI after the Lunch Media event entitled "Industrial Decarbonization and Labor Challenges in the Adaptation of the World of Work" in Jakarta, Tuesday, July 22.

Unfortunately, Elly has not been able to project the percentage increase in the number of layoffs. It's just that, he said, companies usually do layoffs towards the end of the year. "And usually it will happen in November and December," he said.

Elly added that layoffs usually occur in big cities, such as Jakarta and Banten.

"Because of the target, right, it's rise to the bottom. So, from Jakarta, the Rp5.2 million will be given to East Java, which can pay Rp2 million. So the 1 month salary here can pay 3 months there," he explained.

According to Elly, the public is currently waiting for the realization from the government to open up the widest possible employment opportunities this year. So, in the future, there will be no more layoffs.

"Indeed, government homework (PR) has doubled, yes. However, in accordance with the government's promise to create more jobs, infrastructure has been built and laws that are said to be for investment, but investment must respect labor too, yes, that's just shown," explained Elly.

"So, for example, the Prabowo government will support more perpetrators, companies and also workers who work there. So, we hope that there will be no more, here, layoffs," he concluded.

Previously, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the number of unemployed in Indonesia reached 7.28 million people as of February 2025.

Of this number, 1.01 million of them are university graduates or undergraduates.

In the latest data reported by BPS, the unemployment rate in February was at 4.76 percent of the Indonesian workforce based on its educational status.

In the first ranks, the highest number of unemployed came from elementary and junior high school education statuses, namely 2.42 million people. In second place, there are people with high school education status of 2.04 million.

In the third position, vocational education contributed to unemployment as many as 1.63 million people, followed by university graduates as many as 1.01 million people.

Finally, there is a diploma graduate with a contribution of 177.39 thousand unemployed people.