The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the increase in subsidized and non-subsidized fuel prices to the lack of export demand has made a number of giant industries in Sumedang Regency stumble. As a result, a storm of layoffs (PHK) in a number of large companies haunted. The head of the Manpower and Transmigration Office of Sumedang Regency, Asep Sudrajat, admitted that the three conditions made companies have to rack their brains in order to avoid layoffs. "The finger of the company to pay employees a month can be billions to tens of billions of rupiah, but with the three conditions, they are in trouble," said Asep, Thursday (10/13/2022).

He did not deny that there had been layoffs at several large textile companies in his area, one of which was by Kahatex.

"It's already there, but not in bulk, because we have made an agreement, they also have a bipartite agreement to put a brake on the rate of layoffs," said Asep.

The agreement, said Asep, is to divide the working hours of employees. So that employees can still work even though later in one month they will not get a full work allotment.

"So big companies like kahatex rotate, such as 1 division with 100 workers, a two-partite agreement is made, working hours are rotated rather than being laid off or laid off," he explained.

So far, according to Asep, no less than 1,300 workers in Sumedang Regency have been laid off. "Kahatex has laid off around 300 employees, but we prevent it from being massive and carry out the option [dividing working hours]," he explained.

Currently in Sumedang, there are at least more than 900 industrial factories, both large and small, operating with 90,000 workers. However, according to Asep, the majority of the textile industry is experiencing difficulties.

"What is difficult is the textile industry, which produces semi-finished materials," he explained.

Meanwhile, Asep also ensured that severance payments to workers affected by layoffs would not be a problem.

"Alhamdulillah, there are no severance payoffs, although they are not optimal, but the company can still be asked to agree," he explained.