Mass Layoffs Ahead of Eid, PT Indoexim Under the Spotlight

 Jepara – A labor practice violation at PT Indoexim has drawn public attention after approximately 30 workers were suddenly and unilaterally terminated by the company on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The incident has caused controversy as it occurred just a few weeks before Eid al-Fitr 2026.

The affected employees had worked for the company for periods ranging from 7 months to 2.5 years on average. Most of them were mothers from Mambak Village and surrounding areas. Initially, these workers received no clarity regarding their employment status, were not given Eid al-Fitr allowances (THR), received no severance pay, and had never been registered in the BPJS Employment or BPJS Health programs because they were classified as daily casual laborers.

Furthermore, the workers revealed that they had only been receiving a daily wage of Rp 55,000. When calculated on a monthly basis, this amount is considered below the applicable Jepara Regency Minimum Wage (UMK). This situation has raised suspicions of wage regulation violations, as the law requires employers to pay wages at least equal to the minimum wage set by the local government.

Several former employees stated that this practice of dismissing workers just before Eid is not the first time it has happened. The pattern is suspected to repeat every year, raising suspicions that the company is attempting to avoid its obligation to pay THR. However, these allegations are still awaiting an official clarification from the company’s management.

The obligation to pay THR is regulated under Government Regulation No. 36 of 2021 concerning Wages and Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 6 of 2016 concerning Religious Holiday Allowances. These regulations require companies to provide THR to workers who have worked continuously for at least one month.

Provisions regarding termination of employment (PHK) are governed by Law No. 6 of 2023 on Job Creation and its implementing regulations, including Government Regulation No. 35 of 2021. These regulations stipulate that termination must have a valid reason and that workers are entitled to compensation based on their length of service.

Meanwhile, the obligation to pay the minimum wage is also clearly stated in the wage regulations derived from the Job Creation Law, which requires employers to pay wages of at least the applicable minimum wage.

The obligation to register workers in social security programs is regulated under Law No. 24 of 2011 concerning BPJS. Every employer is required to register their workers in the BPJS program without discrimination based on employment status, as long as an employment relationship exists.

If the allegations of non-payment of THR, non-payment of severance, payment of wages below the UMK, and failure to register workers in BPJS are proven, the company could potentially be in violation of several applicable laws and regulations.

One of the workers filed a complaint with the Manpower Office on March 3, 2026. However, according to the workers, the Manpower Office (Disnaker) has so far faced communication difficulties with PT Indoexim’s management.

Planned Demonstration by Former Workers Canceled

The planned demonstration by dozens of PT Indoexim workers, which was scheduled for Saturday (March 7, 2026), has been officially canceled. This decision was made after the company reportedly began disbursing the workers’ rights that had been the main demand.

A worker companion from the Mambak Village Police and Community Partnership Forum (FKPM) confirmed that the payments were made on Friday (March 6, 2026), just before Maghrib time. Information gathered indicates that the total value of the employee rights paid by the company was close to Rp 100 million.

Revealing the Annual Pattern Before Eid

Although this year’s payments have begun to be realized, the development has instead triggered new controversy within the community. There are strong suspicions that the pattern of dismissing workers just before Eid al-Fitr is not an isolated incident, but a practice that is allegedly repeated almost every year.

Residents and several workers suspect a systematic pattern: workers are suddenly terminated before Eid with various reasons, which is strongly suspected to be an attempt by management to avoid the obligation to pay the Eid al-Fitr allowance (THR).

If this year’s payment was only made after the threat of a mass demonstration, this is being interpreted as an indirect admission that the company actually understands its regulatory obligations, but has allegedly not implemented them consistently.

Wages Below UMK Standard

In addition to the termination issue, the wage system at PT Indoexim is now under public scrutiny. The workers claim they only received a daily wage of around Rp 55,000. This figure is considered far below the Jepara Regency Minimum Wage (UMK), which is around Rp 2.6 million per month.

This condition is suspected to violate Law No. 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower and Government Regulation No. 36 of 2021 concerning Wages.

Not only the wages, but the status of daily casual workers has also been used by the company as a reason not to register the laborers in the BPJS Employment and BPJS Health programs, even though they have been working continuously.

Alleged Violation of Groundwater Permit

The issues surrounding PT Indoexim have also extended to environmental concerns. There are allegations that the company’s operations use deep groundwater wells (industrial bore wells) without proper official permits. According to water resource management regulations, any extraction of groundwater for industrial purposes must have strict environmental permits.

FKPM Mambak: Do Not Wait for Public Pressure

Zamroni, Chairman of FKPM Mambak, emphasized that fulfilling workers’ rights should be a routine obligation, not the result of pressure from demonstrations.

“We are grateful that the employees’ rights have been paid. However, the question is, why must we wait for a planned demonstration before there is a resolution? We urge that this does not become an annual pattern,” said Zamroni.

He also hopes that the Manpower Office (Disnaker) will immediately conduct a thorough inspection of labor practices at the company. “Small workers should not always be in a weak position when facing issues regarding their normative rights,” he asserted.

Management’s Response

When asked for confirmation regarding the series of alleged violations, PT Indoexim’s HRD representative, Kalis, has not yet provided detailed information. “We will convey this to management first,” he replied briefly when contacted by the media.