By: Bara Winatha*)
The government continues to strive to take anticipatory steps in dealing with the dynamics of national employment, especially related to the potential for mass layoffs (PHK) which could have a major impact on social and economic stability. One of the real steps that is being finalized is the formation of the Layoff Task Force (Satgas PHK) which will operate in various regions, with the main mandate of preventing and overcoming layoffs in a more measured and coordinated manner.
The Minister of Manpower, Yassierli, said that the PHK Task Force is a manifestation of the government’s attention to the dynamic employment conditions. The formation of the task force has entered the finalization stage at the Ministry of State Secretariat and is expected to start working in the near future. He also said that although this task force has not been officially launched, some of its functions have actually begun to be carried out by the ministry, such as developing an early warning system and strengthening cross-regional coordination.
The Ministry of Manpower has also established a work pattern that allows early detection of sectors that are at high risk of layoffs, as well as strengthening networks with regional manpower offices. The initiative to form the Layoff Task Force is also in line with input from the President of KSPI, Said Iqbal, which was conveyed at an economic discussion in early April 2025.
The proposal received a positive response from President Prabowo Subianto who immediately expressed his support. According to the President, this proposal is a very good idea because it provides real value in efforts to maintain job stability amidst increasingly complex global challenges. With the President’s approval, the relevant ministries immediately drafted a task force involving cross-sector coordination, including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and the Ministry of State Secretariat.
At the regional level, the Central Java Provincial Government (Jateng) was one of the pioneers who quickly responded to the instruction to form the Layoff Task Force. The Governor of Central Java, Ahmad Luthfi, said that the existence of the Layoff Task Force was a direct mandate from the President and must be immediately realized properly in his region. According to him, the formation of this task force is not merely to respond to the crisis, but also as a proactive preventive measure.
The task force will start working not when the company is already in a state of bankruptcy, but when indications of internal problems that could lead to layoffs are detected. In other words, this task force is expected to be able to act quickly from the early stages of problems arising, so that it can prevent the worsening of the employment situation in the company.
The Layoff Task Force in Central Java itself will involve various important elements, including the Manpower and Transmigration Office, representatives of labor unions, labor unions in companies, and employer associations. The preparation of this collaborative formula will strengthen the prevention capacity of the task force, because each component has a strategic role and function in building a healthy employment ecosystem. This step is also considered capable of creating a more harmonious working atmosphere between workers and employers.
The Head of the Manpower and Transmigration Office of Central Java Province, Ahmad Aziz, said that his party already has a company classification system that is divided into three categories: green, yellow, and red. The green category is a company that complies with employment norms, while the yellow category indicates internal problems such as delayed overtime payments or non-compliance with employee rights. If not handled properly, yellow category companies can shift to red and result in layoffs.
The Layoff Task Force will intervene once the company enters the yellow category, to approach and find solutions before mass layoffs occur. The existence of the Layoff Task Force is not only important for prevention, but is also vital in ensuring the fulfillment of workers’ rights when the company is forced to lay off workers.
If a company has been declared bankrupt and entered the curator process, the task force will remain present to ensure that workers’ rights such as severance pay, job loss insurance, and overtime and leave replacement are still provided in accordance with applicable provisions. This approach emphasizes that the government’s commitment to worker protection does not stop at the regulatory level, but also in technical implementation in the field.
The Layoff Task Force in various regions will be an integral part of the national holistic strategy to anticipate mass layoffs. This step reflects the government’s seriousness in maintaining peace and job security for workers throughout Indonesia. The existence of the task force also provides a positive signalif for the business world that the government is not only present when a crisis occurs, but also plays a role early on in building healthy and equitable industrial relations. Collaboration between the central government, local governments, trade unions, and employers is key to maintaining a stable and conducive employment climate.
With an operational target in June 2025, the PHK Task Force is expected to immediately become an effective operational force in responding to various industrial dynamics. Through this effort, the community, especially workers, are expected to feel calm and secure in facing the challenges of the world of work in the future. The PHK Task Force is a symbol of the government’s seriousness in protecting workers and is a real instrument for maintaining social harmony and supporting the sustainability of national economic growth.
*) The author is a Social and Community Observer.
