Sad News: 4,000 People In Aceh Lost Their Jobs Due To The COVID-19 Pandemic

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Chairman of the Aceh Workers Alliance, Saiful Mar, stated that since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia in 2020, around four thousand people in Aceh have lost their jobs.

"The total number of people who have been laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aceh is more than four thousand people", said Saiful Mar in Banda Aceh, quoted from Antara, Sunday, May 2.

Saiful said those affected by the layoffs worked in various districts/cities in Aceh, ranging from hotels, mining, and various other service companies.

"But the biggest contributor to the layoffs was hotels, up to 800 people", he said.

Saiful explained that most of the hotel cases were not dismissed, but in the language of being sent home and would be recalled. However, it turned out that the company recruited other workers.

"Should have been sent home, but later called back after COVID-19, but the funny thing is received by new employees and the old ones are not called again, this is what makes us sad", said Saiful.

On this occasion, Saiful also asked for a policy from the Governor of Aceh to revise Qanun (regional regulation) Number 7 of 2014 concerning manpower, given the existence of the Job Creation Law.

"The Aceh government must also seriously implement the UMP (minimum wage) following what has been determined", he said.

Saiful added that his party appreciated and thanked companies that did not lay off employees during the pandemic.

"Thank you, it should be like that, don't deny COVID-19. Don't dismiss it based on COVID-19", said Saiful.