Labour Minister States Ongoing Investigation into Mie Sedaap Dismissal Case

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Minister of Manpower, Yassierli, stated that his ministry is still investigating allegations of layoffs at PT Karunia Alam Segar (KAS), the producer of Mie Sedaap noodles, in Gresik.

“Regarding the (alleged layoffs) at Mie Sedaap, we are still monitoring the situation, and we will update you later,” said Minister Yassierli in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Previously, information circulated on social media that approximately 400 workers at the Mie Sedaap noodle production company were sent home a few days before the start of Ramadan.

In a post on social media, these hundreds of workers reportedly received information about the layoffs only through WhatsApp messages. However, the employment contracts of these hundreds of workers were still valid.

Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, stated on Monday (23 February) that he had received input from workers at PT Karunia Alam Segar, the producer of Mie Sedaap.

He said that the company had agreed and promised not to carry out further layoffs.

“We have coordinated, and I think the workers can now return to work calmly,” said Dasco.

He emphasised that the company’s layoff policy should not have happened, especially during Ramadan and leading up to Eid al-Fitr.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) stated that the case of dozens of Mie Sedaap factory workers being sent home before Eid is not an isolated incident, but rather the tip of the iceberg of a serious problem related to the payment of Eid bonuses (THR).

KSPI President, Said Iqbal, stated that the practice of “sending workers home” without layoffs is a new tactic to avoid the obligation to pay THR.

“The company is not carrying out layoffs. That is true. But the workers are sent home, not paid their salaries before Eid, and not paid their THR. This is a tactic,” said Said Iqbal.