When a Forwarding Company Encounters Problems, Who Protects Its Employees?

JAKARTA - Behind every container that moves from the port, every imported goods that arrive at the warehouse, and every export that departs to various countries, there are thousands of workers who have been the backbone of the Indonesian freight forwarding industry.

They are operational staff, export-import documentation officers, customs officers, transportation coordinators, warehouse officers, to administrative personnel who work to keep the national logistics chain running.

But in the midst of the big role, there is still one fact that has rarely been talked about. When a freight forwarding company faces business problems, financial difficulties, legal disputes, or even criminal cases involving managers and owners of the company, the parties who often feel the impact are the employees.

They do not take part in corporate decisions, but are often the first to feel the uncertainty of the future.

From this thinking, the idea of establishing the Indonesian Forwarder Employees Cooperative (Kopkar Forindo), a joint economic platform designed to strengthen the social, economic, and professional protection of workers in the national freight forwarding and logistics sector was born.

The General Chairman of Kopkar Forindo, Muhajir, explained that this cooperative was not formed to face companies or business associations. Instead, the cooperative is present to maintain the balance of the industrial ecosystem so that the relationship between companies and workers can run in a healthy, fair, and sustainable manner.

"We believe that a healthy company needs a prosperous worker. On the other hand, prosperous workers also need a strong company. Therefore, Kopkar Forindo is not present as a tool for conflict, but as a bridge of balance," said Muhajir.

According to him, the Indonesian freight forwarding industry is currently entering a period of major change. Regulatory changes, logistics digitization, global competition, to adjustments to the 2025 KBLI require all industry players to be more adaptive.

On the other hand, workers also need a container that can help them face various economic and social risks that arise from this dynamic.

Muhajir explained that Kopkar Forindo was designed to be a professional cooperative that brings together workers from various companies engaged in the Transportation Management Services (JPT) or freight forwarding, which in the KBLI 2025 is classified as KBLI 52311, as well as workers from the multi-modal sector, warehousing, distribution, expedition, and other supply chains.

The change in KBLI has even become a serious concern for various logistics associations because it is considered to have a direct impact on the structure of the national logistics industry and business actors.

Unlike conventional cooperatives that only focus on saving and borrowing, Kopkar Forindo has a broader vision. This cooperative is designed to build a solidarity fund for members, a legal assistance program, emergency assistance for members affected by company problems, a member education program, logistics profession training, competence certification, and the development of productive business for worker families.

In addition, cooperatives will also develop a home ownership program for workers, a workers' vehicle, health services, a social death fund, and a competence improvement program that can help members face the changing logistics industry, which is increasingly competitive.

The idea received a positive response from a number of industry players. Many parties believe that so far the company has had an official platform through the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarder Association (ALFI/ILFA), while freight forwarding workers do not have a national economic platform that specifically collects and strengthens their welfare.

ALFI itself is an organization that has a wide network throughout all provinces in Indonesia and is connected to an international logistics network.

Muhajir emphasized that Kopkar Forindo will be built based on the principles of modern cooperatives that are professional, transparent, accountable, and law-abiding.

"We want to build a common home for Indonesian logistics workers. When companies grow, workers grow. When companies face challenges, workers are not left to fend for themselves. That's where cooperatives must be present as a social and economic safety net," he said.

In the future, Kopkar Forindo targets the formation of a network of freight forwarding workers cooperatives throughout Indonesia that are connected digitally, so that members from Aceh to Papua can obtain the same benefits without being hindered by geographical distance.