Hundreds of freight transportation firms in Greater Jakarta are set to suspend operations on March 20 and 21 in response to a government regulation that limits trucking activities during the national collective leave for Idul Fitri, which runs from March 24 to April 8.
The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Truck Operators Association (Aptrindo) announced on Monday that approximately 500 freight companies would participate in the protest.
“Aptrindo vehemently opposes the excessively lengthy restriction, which spans 16 days, as it will severely affect logistics companies, especially drivers and workers involved in loading and unloading,” stated a notice signed by Dharmawan Witanto, the Jakarta chair, and Fauzan Azim Musa, the coordinator for the upcoming strike.
Because truck drivers and loading/unloading workers are compensated on a daily basis for their services, limiting freight operations will lead to a substantial decrease in their earnings.
Aptrindo has previously proposed that the government limit trucking operations from March 27 to April 3, suggesting a duration half that of the 16 days outlined in the current policy.
Aptrindo’s chairman, Gemilang Tarigan, indicated that the government did not take into account the association’s suggestions prior to finalizing the policy, despite efforts to gather feedback from trucking companies.
In light of these issues, the planned strike reflects the frustrations of the freight sector regarding the impact of the government’s decisions on their livelihood.
