Visiting Sritex, Deputy Minister of Manpower Ensures There Will Be No Layoffs

Layoffs (photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer confirmed that there will be no layoffs for workers at PT Sri Rejeki Isman Tbk (SRIL) or Sritex, which was previously declared bankrupt by the Semarang Commercial Court.

"I can assure you that there will be no layoffs for workers at PT Sritex. This was agreed upon by the management represented by Iwan Setiawan Lukminto as the Owner of PT Sritex," said Noel, Immanuel's nickname, as quoted on Tuesday, October 29.

Noel emphasized that the government will not allow the textile sector like Sritex to be paralyzed, and not a single textile industry should die.

"In any case, work is a basic right that must be fulfilled and the state must not ignore this issue," he said.

Noel expressed his pride in the patriotic and optimistic attitude of all Sritex workers and companies who called layoffs taboo.

"Outside, layoffs are a scary specter or monster for workers, but for Sritex workers, layoffs are taboo. I am very happy to hear that," he said.

Sritex President Director Iwan Setiawan Lukminto said that the efficiency carried out by the company was based on business decisions, not on the basis of the company's bankruptcy.

"Our focus going forward, we want to continue operating, it is not our intention to close this factory. Because seeing the operational and financial conditions over the past 2 years have also improved," he said.

For 58 years, Sritex has been part of the Indonesian textile industry, and has become the largest textile company in Southeast Asia, and has contributed to Solo Raya, Central Java, and Indonesia.

In addition, there are currently around 14,112 SRIL employees who are directly affected, 50,000 employees in the Sritex Group, and countless other small and medium enterprises whose business continuity depends on Sritex's business activities.