The Dynamics of Daily Project Workers: Between Flexibility, Social Vulnerability, and Sustainable Livelihoods

Abstract

The phenomenon of daily project workers in the construction industry, particularly in steel fabrication and erection, reflects characteristics of the gig economy. Workers earn income based on the number of days they work and their involvement in specific projects, making household economic stability highly dependent on the availability of jobs. From a social and sustainability perspective, this situation presents a dilemma: on the one hand, it offers flexibility, allowing workers to easily move between sites; on the other hand, it creates long-term uncertainty once projects are completed. Workers often face periods of unemployment, during which previous earnings are quickly depleted, while the next source of income remains uncertain. Field experiences also highlight significant vulnerabilities regarding social protection. Enrollment in employment insurance such as BPJS Ketenagakerjaan is inconsistent, varying across projects and management policies. This inconsistency reduces workers’ sense of security, both in terms of health and future protection. In some cases, management even suppresses costs by neglecting safety regulations, such as proper personal protective equipment or standard procedures, to accelerate project milestones, thereby increasing risks for workers. Economically, while large-scale projects, often run by multinational corporations, contribute to national development, the benefits are not always evenly distributed to contractual workers at the ground level. From a socio-cultural perspective, daily workers build strong solidarity, for example by sharing job information once a project ends. However, this practice simultaneously normalizes precarious working conditions. From a legal standpoint, workers’ status often remains ambiguous: sometimes treated as daily laborers, sometimes as piece-rate contractors, or occasionally as permanent staff, frequently based only on verbal agreements. This study underscores the urgency of consistent social protection mechanisms and adaptive legal frameworks, so that the flexibility of gig like work in construction projects can still ensure sustainable livelihoods for workers and their families.