Deputy Minister of Manpower Reveals Investigation Results on Hillcon Workers' Wages and THR Issues
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor has revealed the results of the investigation into allegations that salaries and Eid al-Fitr bonuses (THR) have not been paid to workers at PT Hillcon Jaya Shakti, which operates in the North Morowali area.
Afriansyah, when confirmed by ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday, stated that the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) held an audience with the company’s management on 21 April 2026 to discuss the settlement of workers’ rights.
During the audience, the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan status of all former workers in the Morowali area was successfully deactivated.
With this condition, the workers can now access claims for Old Age Security (JHT) and Job Loss Security (JKP) benefits.
“Regarding the results of the 21 April audience, the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan status of all former workers in Morowali has now been successfully deactivated, so JHT claims and JKP benefits can be accessed,” said the Deputy Minister.
However, the payment of salaries and THR has not yet been realised by the company as per the previous agreement.
In response to this situation, Afriansyah emphasised that his side will immediately contact the company’s management to demand the realisation of payments for the former employees’ rights.
“And we will coordinate with the supervisors. Further developments will be reported,” said the Deputy Minister.
Previously, Hengki Arabiya, one of the employees of PT Hillcon Jaya Shakti at the PT Keinz Ventura site in North Morowali, hoped that the unpaid salaries and THR would be settled by the company soon.
He explained the chronology of the labour issue that began at the end of December 2025 when the company’s operations stopped, followed by the repatriation of employees in January 2026 with the hope that activities would resume in March or April.
However, during the waiting period, the workers’ conditions worsened because basic needs were disrupted after the canteen services were halted due to the company’s unpaid bills since the end of January 2026.
The company then repatriated employees gradually until mid-February 2026, leaving around 30 workers to guard assets before the contract with PT Keinz Ventura was terminated on 25 March 2026.
As a result, workers experienced termination of employment without clarity, while salaries since February and the 2026 Eid THR have not been paid. This case has been reported to the Ministry of Manpower through official channels.
This also caused workers’ rights during the period from 1 to 25 March 2026 to become unclear because they did not receive certainty of work status or payments during that period.
In addition, workers faced issues with BPJS contributions that were overdue for more than a year and unclear severance pay.
He hoped that the government, particularly the Ministry of Manpower, could directly intervene in the field to investigate this case and ensure that workers’ rights are fulfilled in accordance with applicable provisions.
Hengki also admitted that they have taken various efforts, from bipartite negotiations, tripartite, to hearings (RDP) with the local DPRD, but so far, no concrete results have been achieved.