Apindo Records Number Of Layoffs As Of February 2025 Reaches 40,000 People

Apindo Head of Manpower Bob Azam. (Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) noted that the number of layoffs in January-February 2025 reached 40,000 people. This is based on layoff data from the number of workers who disbursed BPJS Ketenagakerjaan.

Apindo Head of Manpower Bob Azam said the highest number of layoffs occurred in West Java, Jakarta and Tangerang.

"(The number) already has, yes. Especially, Jakarta and West Java are the most. So, in January and February there have been around 40,000 (people who have been laid off)," Bob told reporters in Jakarta, quoted Thursday, March 20.

Bob explained that his party received layoff data from the number of workers who disbursed BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Among other things, including disbursement of Old Age Security (JHT) and Job Loss Guarantee (JKP).

"(Along) last year 250,000 people (hit layoffs). In January, February this is around Rp. 40,000. The data we obtained from BPJS, layoffs were in West Java, DKI, Tangerang," he said.

However, Bob could not confirm whether the number of layoffs included the wave of layoffs from the textile giant Sritex Group. The reason is, Apindo has just received the latest data from BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, not in detail from industry players.

He only said that the number of layoffs that occurred in January-February 2025 came from the labor-intensive sector. However, Bob did not mention in detail which industrial sector experienced the layoffs.

Previously, the President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) who is also the President of the Labor Party Said Iqbal revealed that there is currently a massive wave of layoffs (PHK).

Based on data compiled by the Labor Party and KSPI, it was recorded that at least 60,000 workers had experienced layoffs from 50 companies. In fact, in the first two months of 2025 alone, the number of workers affected by layoffs continued to increase significantly.

Various factors have led to layoffs, ranging from companies declared bankrupt, policies for efficiency and reduction of employees to relocation of factories to other countries such as China and Japan.

Data compiled based on reports from the KSPI area and the Workers' Party throughout Java, there are 37 companies that have laid off their layoffs without certainty to get their severance pay and THR.

Including reports from Sritex workers who complained to the KSPI Command Post and the Labor Party in Sukoharjo, it was confirmed that tens of thousands of Sritex workers did not get THR up to D-7 Lebaran.

"The government must not remain silent! We demand that the Minister of Manpower immediately form a layoff Task Force to oversee the settlement of this case. Do not only focus on Sritex, but also handle other layoff cases as a whole," said Said Iqbal.