Two May Day Action Points in Jakarta: Monas with President, DPR with Protesters

Jakarta is gearing up for a significant May Day, International Labor Day, on May 1, 2026, with the city set to host two distinct focal points for worker demonstrations. The primary gathering is slated for the National Monument (Monas), a symbolic heart of the nation, which is expected to draw an impressive crowd of approximately 300,000 workers. Notably, President Prabowo Subianto has confirmed his attendance at this main event, signaling the government's engagement with labor issues.

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President Prabowo is, God willing, scheduled to attend the peak of the National Labor Day commemoration in 2026, which will be held at the National Monument.

This year's May Day celebrations, however, are marked by a divergence in approach among labor groups. While the Monas event, dubbed 'May Day Fiesta,' aims for a unified celebration, the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI) and other groups are mobilizing to join President Prabowo. In contrast, the Confederation of Congress of Indonesian Trade Unions (KASBI) has opted for a separate demonstration in front of the People's Consultative Assembly (DPR/MPR) building. KASBI anticipates around 10,000 participants for their action.

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The laborers, 300,000 of them, will have an assembly with us at Monas.

KASBI's decision to hold a separate rally stems from a critique of the mainstream narrative and perceived co-optation of the May Day celebration by political powers. They argue that the conditions for Indonesian laborers remain dire, citing concerns over job security and the increasing informality of work, exacerbated by regulations such as the Job Creation Law and its implementing government regulation. KASBI emphasizes that May Day should serve as a moment for genuine reflection on equality, social justice, and human dignity in the workplace, asserting the need for independent labor movements free from the influence of capital or political interests.

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That we from KASBI, along with the GEBRAK Alliance (People's Workers Movement), will hold a demonstration in front of the DPR RI Building in Jakarta with an estimated 10,000 participants.

From an Indonesian perspective, this split highlights the ongoing tension between state-sanctioned labor events and grassroots activism. While the government seeks to present a unified front with President Prabowo at Monas, groups like KASBI are determined to voice their dissent and maintain the critical edge of labor movements. This divergence underscores the complex landscape of labor rights advocacy in Indonesia, where official celebrations coexist with persistent calls for deeper reform and a more equitable distribution of power and resources for workers. The presence of the President at Monas is seen by some as a positive step, while others view it with skepticism, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and independent action to truly advance workers' rights.

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Where the guarantee of job security or the status of labor relations is included in the labor market flexibility scheme, namely a work system that provides flexibility in fulfilling the normative rights of laborers, or a work system that leads to the informalization of labor.