Jakarta. The All-Indonesia Workers' Union Association (Aspirasi) has urged President Prabowo Subianto's administration to create more formal-sector jobs, raise wages and expand social protection as the government enters its third year in office.

Aspirasi President Mirah Sumirat said creating formal employment and ensuring decent working conditions remained key challenges for the government, stressing that workers needed not only jobs but also adequate wages and employment protection.

“There are several key challenges the government must address going forward. First, it needs to create more formal-sector jobs and decent work,” Mirah said.

Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded 87.74 million informal workers in February 2026, compared with 59.93 million formal workers, highlighting the challenge of expanding access to jobs with more stable employment arrangements and protections.

Aspirasi also called for improvements in workers' wages and welfare, alongside broader access to social security and labor protections, including for informal-sector workers.

The average monthly wage of employees stood at Rp 3.29 million in February 2026, according to BPS, providing a measure of the earnings workers receive as unions call for better pay and living standards

Mirah said protection should also be strengthened for workers affected by layoffs, automation, digitalization and technological change. Meanwhile, the government must ensure that economic growth, investment, downstream processing and industrialization translate into quality employment opportunities, she said.

The need for stronger worker protection comes as Indonesia recorded 32,389 layoffs in the first half of 2026, according to Manpower Ministry data. West Java accounted for 6,727 of those cases, or 20.8% of the national total.

Mirah argued that development success should not be measured solely by economic growth or a decline in the unemployment rate, but also by whether workers benefit from economic progress.

As Prabowo's administration enters its third year, Aspirasi hopes the government will place greater emphasis on creating formal employment and improving workers' long-term prospects, particularly for younger generations.

“Development must make a tangible difference in workers' family lives through decent jobs, adequate incomes, job security, social protection, education that keeps pace with changing times, and a better future,” Mirah said.

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