Lay offs surge by 34% in 2002

Lay offs surge by 34% in 2002

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration reported
on Wednesday a 34 percent increase in the number of workers laid
off throughout 2002, or 135,421 more unemployed Indonesians
compared to 2001.

The ministry's director general for industrial relations,
Muzni Tambusai said the figure excluded cases of lay offs that
were not reported to the ministry.

"So there is a 18 percent rise in the number of people laid
off and a 34 percent rise in the number of workers involved,"
said Muzni during a hearing with legislators.

He did not explain why the unemployment rate surged during the
year. About 40 million Indonesians are unemployed and many remain
at risk of losing their jobs amid sluggish recovery from the 1997
economic crisis. -- Antara