400 workers sent home before Ramadan, Mie Sedaap producer avoiding THR?

Gresik, Thekabarnews.com—Before Ramadan, PT Karunia Alam Segar (KAS), the company that produces Mie Sedaap instant noodles, sent home about 400 contract and outsourced workers. Because of this, a lot of their employees are worried.

The company told workers last month how many hours they could work. They worked two or three days a week, but the hours were always different. Their management sent them a WhatsApp message on February 16, saying they were no longer with the company.

The news helped some workers keep their jobs. They also said that the company didn’t give them severance pay or the holiday allowances (THR). They believed this method would help them complete tasks more efficiently.

The Gresik branch of the Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia (FSPMI) head, Fajar Rubianto, wanted to know why the company did what it did. Meanwhile, he said that the layoffs might be a way to avoid paying THR bills before the holidays. 

“The union will monitor the issue to ensure that workers receive the benefits they are entitled to,” Fajar stated.

The story has attracted widespread public attention. This is especially true since it happened a few weeks before Ramadan. At this time, many workers need their THR salaries to feed their families.

People who work in Indonesia’s manufacturing sector say that contract and outsourced workers still have many problems on the job. 

Workers’ rights advocates have urged businesses to be transparent about matters such as holiday pay and employment contracts. They also urge them to ensure they comply with the regulations.

At the time of writing, the management team at PT Karunia Alam Segar had not yet issued an official statement regarding the claims.

This report is part of a bigger conversation in Indonesia’s business world about how to keep workers safe. Moreover, it is also about how to hire people from other countries and hold companies accountable. This discussion is especially important during times like Ramadan.