KSBSI Urges Government to Fund Social Security Contribution Assistance for Informal and Vulnerable Workers

The All-Indonesia Workers’ Union Confederation (KSBSI) is urging the government to ensure adequate budgeting for the Penerima Bantuan Iuran (PBI) Jaminan Sosial Tenaga Kerja (Jamsostek) programme, so that social security protection is not only enjoyed by formal workers but also covers informal workers and vulnerable worker groups.

KSBSI President Elly Rosita Silaban said the state must be present to protect workers who lack the economic capacity to protect themselves. According to her, the PBI programme is an important instrument to ensure all workers receive social protection without exception.

“We must not tire of voicing workers’ interests, especially the PBI programme which must accommodate all workers. Not only formal employment, but also informal,” she said on Thursday, 13 August 2026.

According to Elly, the expansion of PBI must not be carried out partially. The government, together with all stakeholders, must build policies and budgets capable of reaching workers in vulnerable conditions. “The state must be present because they do not have the ability to protect themselves. That is part of our campaign nationally, and even internationally,” she said.

Elly assessed that one of the challenges in fighting for worker protection is the limited official data on the number of workers requiring protection. This condition means the struggle for social protection for workers and informal labourers sometimes has not been carried out comprehensively.

Therefore, KSBSI is encouraging the government to build a valid and integrated worker database as the basis for determining targets as well as PBI budget needs. “Protection for all parties without exception. However, the challenges are indeed still many. For example, trade unions do not have official data. Sometimes the struggle is only half-hearted,” she said.

Elly stressed that the struggle to include workers in the PBI scheme must be a shared agenda. It must not rely solely on the efforts of trade unions or certain groups. “The struggle to accommodate PBI must not be partial. It must be supported by all parties. So, it must not be just a few,” she said.

She gave an example that if there are around 20 million PBI recipients, that figure must be verified as valid while also serving as the basis for social protection planning. That number also has the potential to increase when taking into account workers affected by layoffs and those who lose the ability to pay contributions independently.

For KSBSI, PBI also has a strategic function as a safety net and a fair transition instrument for workers experiencing a decline in economic capacity. “PBI is also important as a fair transition when workers are no longer able to protect their own welfare,” said Elly.

Elly hopes the government will not only make PBI an assistance programme, but also part of a national strategy to expand social security coverage for all workers. “In this way, formal workers, informal workers, or those who have lost their jobs will still have protection when facing social and economic risks,” she said.