Wamenaker Noel Says Strategic Steps Need To Anticipate Layoffs In The Textile Industry

Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan (Noel). (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan (Noel) said strategic steps were needed to anticipate or mitigate the emergence of layoffs (PHK), especially in the textile industry, which has recently been rife in Indonesia.

"We must not remain silent. We must take strategic steps to help workers who are laid off so that they can return to work or start a new business," said Wamenaker Noel as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 18.

For this reason, Noel invited a number of textile entrepreneurs in the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) entitled 'The Strategy for Increasing Human Resources Competency and Productivity (HR) after layoffs in the Textile Industry to overcome employment challenges, especially the always dynamic garment industry.

The national textile and garment industry ecosystem is always dynamic. However, the many challenges of employment and layoffs do not mean that pessimism must be responded to," said Noel.

According to him, if the trend of layoffs in the textile industry is left without serious intervention, Indonesia will not only lose the strategic industrial sector, but will also have a destructive social and economic impact.

He considered that there were several strategies that could be applied as short-term solutions.

Starting from training and re-skilling; the provision of new jobs; mentoring and access to capital for entrepreneurs; social protection for workers; and collaboration between government, private sector, and trade unions.

In addition to ensuring that all rights from laid-off workers are still fulfilled, long-term solutions to overcome the layoffs of the textile industry need to be formulated together.

"Such as preparing new jobs for employees who have lost their jobs, preparing adequate skills for those who want to be entrepreneurs, and so on," said Noel.

On the other hand, Director General of Binalavotas of the Ministry of Manpower Agung Nur Rohmad assessed the need for a concrete strategy to increase the competence and productivity of the workforce after layoffs so that they can return to compete in the world of work or switch to other sectors that are more prospective.

"Through the FGD involving various stakeholders, we discuss strategic steps in improving the skills and job opportunities for human resources affected by layoffs in the textile industry," he said.