Central Java Governor Absorbs Workers' Aspirations Ahead of May Day
Semarang (ANTARA) - Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi held a dialogue with workers and labourers to absorb various aspirations ahead of the Labour Day or May Day commemoration in 2026.
“On the upcoming May Day commemoration, let us hold constructive activities without diminishing the essence of May Day itself. That is by maintaining conducive industrial relations,” he said in Semarang on Tuesday.
Several issues and aspirations raised by the workers included layoffs (PHK), unclear severance payments not yet fulfilled by companies, and worker and labour welfare problems.
In front of representatives from 78 worker unions and labour unions in Central Java, he invited the workers to celebrate with constructive activities and maintain a conducive situation in each region.
He stated that such constructive activities are very necessary to build good industrial relations between workers, companies, and the government.
Especially in responding to the current global conditions that will indirectly affect the Central Java region.
He also explained that a conducive situation as well as guarantees of security and public order in the region are one of the important requirements for investment, and what makes Central Java attractive to investors.
Other requirements, he said, are easy and quick permitting so that the Central Java Provincial Government is committed to overseeing all permits for investments entering the region.
He said that industrial zones and special economic zones in the region will also be increased to make them more attractive for investment.
In addition, he encouraged improvements in human resource quality (HR) and competitive worker wages through the optimisation of vocational schools, training centres (BLK), and polytechnics connected to companies.
According to him, these steps are taken so that the existing HR can be absorbed by incoming investments, thereby reducing the open unemployment rate (TPT) and improving community welfare.
With guarantees of a conducive region, he said, the 2025 investment realisation was Rp88.5 trillion, consisting of Rp50.86 trillion in foreign direct investment (PMA) and Rp37.64 trillion in domestic investment (PMDN).
Meanwhile, investment realisation for micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) was Rp21.52 trillion. The total investment in Central Java in 2025 was Rp110.02 trillion.
“About 340,000 of our workers were absorbed by industry, thus able to reduce the open unemployment rate,” he said.
“We want workers and labourers not as production tools but to participate in developing the company.”