Workers Ask Ida Fauziyah, Airlangga, And Agus Gumiwang To Guarantee There Will Be No Explosion Of Layoffs Due To The Implementation Of The Java-Bali Emergency PPKM

JAKARTA - The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and Indonesian workers support the government's steps to reduce the number of the COVID-19 pandemic through the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM activity. However, the trade unions asked the government to guarantee that there would be no explosion of layoffs or layoffs as a result of the enactment of the new regulation.

KSPI President Said Iqbal said the government in this case the Minister of Manpower, Coordinating Minister for the Economy, and Minister of Industry must ensure that the implementation of Emergency PPKM does not cause workers to be laid off. Including, said Iqbal, salary cuts and moreover, there should be no explosion of layoffs.

"It must be realized, not only the health impacts that we face. But also the negative consequences that can have an impact on the economy," he said in a written statement received by VOI, Thursday, July 1.

Reflecting on the beginning of the pandemic, said Iqbal, many workers were laid off and then lost their jobs. As a result, the purchasing power of workers will decrease, which will have an impact on decreasing consumption.

Furthermore, Iqbal said, the decline in consumption will result in negative economic growth. If this happens, he said, the recession will be longer. Therefore, Iqbal also asked for wage subsidies to be continued in line with the implementation of the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM on July 3 to July 20, 2021.

"We ask for wage subsidy assistance to be resumed. For companies that can afford it, they must pay wages in full and not be deducted," he said.

If layoffs are unavoidable due to the implementation of the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM, said Iqbal, KSPI requests that companies that terminate work to pay severance pay to their workers. However, it does not refer to the Omnibus Law of the Job Creation Law.

"If there are layoffs, we ask employers to pay severance pay, not using the omnibus law on the job creation law, but using the old rules as stipulated in the PKB or Law No. 13 of 2003," he explained.

According to Iqbal, it is not impossible that this emergency PPKM will result in massive layoffs like the Giant case.

"Especially for retail companies, logistics, hotels, transportation, food, textiles, electronic components, to automotive components," he said.

Furthermore, Iqbal said that the Omnibus Law was not the answer to the threat of an explosion of layoffs in the midst of an increasing pandemic. Therefore, his party requested that the omnibus law of the Job Creation Law be immediately revoked.

"We together with the government are ready to work hard to reduce COVID-19 to support the government's steps to implement an emergency PPKM by considering the health and economic effects," he said.

Iqbal asked workers throughout Indonesia to follow the health protocol and follow the government's directions during the implementation of PPKM. In this regard, employers must provide all facilities related to health protocols.

"Companies must provide masks, hand sanitizers, places for washing hands, and the application of distance so as not to get too close during the production process, lunch, places of worship in the company environment and parking lots," he said.

Meanwhile, for companies that cannot afford, said Iqbal, local and central governments are obliged to provide assistance to provide tools to fulfill health protocols for free.

Facts on the ground, the number of deaths and COVID-19 sufferers in the labor cluster and their families continues to increase. Iqbal said, this is a fundamental problem, it will prioritize health or economic aspects.

Furthermore, Iqbal said usually when workers are known to have been exposed to COVID-19 in the company environment, workers tend to be asked to self-isolate at home. They did not report to the local Task Force. Because if this is done, the company will be temporarily closed for 10 to 14 days.

"The company objected to the temporary closure," he said.

So in order not to be closed, said Iqbal, companies whose workers are exposed to COVID-19 tend not to want to announce. As a result, workers who self-isolate at home transmit the infection to their families. This is what explains the factory cluster now extending to the family cluster.

In this month, Said Iqbal said, from reports received by KSPI, in the Jabodetabek area alone, at least 15 workers died.

"We ask that workers who are exposed to COVID-19 and must self-isolate, companies and the government provide adequate medicines and treatments for free," he said.