The Impending Layoff Storm
Mass layoffs are haunting labor-intensive industries. The global economy slump causes exports to decline, from textile to footwear. Factories reduce their workers’ work hours as well as suspend and lay off employees. Meanwhile, the government is late to respond and seems to have made attempts to cover up the mass layoffs.
Retno Sulistyowati
November 14, 2022
MASS layoffs are a specter looming over workers at labor-intensive industries, such as textile and footwear factories. Including Diki—not his real name—as well as other Kahatex employees. Although the textile and garment factory in Cimanggung, Sumedang Regency, West Java, has not laid off its employees, its workers’ hours have already been cut.
According to Diki, Kahatex employees normally work 11 days and have one day off. But
...