TEMPO.CO, Jakarta — Labor groups in Indonesia staged separate May Day actions on Friday, with a coalition of unions and civil society organizations rallying outside the parliament complex while others joined an official celebration at the National Monument attended by President Prabowo Subianto.
The Alliance of Gebrak Workers and the People, which declined to attend the state-backed event, gathered in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta, bringing a list of ten demands centered on labor rights and social welfare.
Sunarno, president of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions Congress Alliance (KASBI), called on the government to strengthen job security and abolish outsourcing practices, which he said undermine workers’ stability.
The alliance also pressed for wage reform, including the introduction of a fair national minimum wage and the elimination of disparities across sectors and regions.
“Enforce a fair and dignified national minimum wage for workers,” Sunarno said on Thursday.
He added that labor groups must be meaningfully involved in drafting employment-related legislation, urging the government to adopt more worker-friendly policies.
Among the coalition’s demands are the ratification of International Labour Organization conventions, including Convention 188 on work in fishing and Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the workplace. The alliance also called for stronger protections for women and workers with disabilities, as well as an end to layoffs.
Beyond industrial labor issues, the group expanded its demands to include broader social concerns. It urged the government to improve welfare for teachers, lecturers, healthcare workers, and gig economy workers, while also ensuring free access to education and healthcare.
Sunarno said the alliance would use the May Day rally to highlight what it described as an increasingly authoritarian leadership style under Prabowo’s administration. He called on the government to uphold civilian supremacy, halt militaristic practices, and refrain from criminalizing public dissent.
The coalition also demanded genuine agrarian reform, an end to land evictions, and a halt to armed conflicts.
Separately, the Association of All Indonesian Workers’ Unions (Aspirations) marked May Day with its own set of concerns, emphasizing that the struggle for workers’ rights remains ongoing.
Its president, Mirah Sumirat, said the government must play a more active role in ensuring justice and welfare for workers, particularly amid global economic uncertainty and rapid technological change.
She urged authorities to create decent jobs with fair wages, while guaranteeing secure employment status and humane working conditions.
Aspirations also highlighted the precarious conditions faced by digital platform workers, many of whom lack stable incomes and access to social protection.
According to Sumirat, the current system has led to a new form of exploitation, with risks disproportionately borne by workers.
“We demand the abolition of pseudo-partnership schemes that harm workers,” she said. “Digital platform workers must be recognized as workers with clear legal status and equal rights.”
In addition, the group called on lawmakers to pass the long-delayed Asset Confiscation Bill, arguing that corruption continues to undermine public welfare and state capacity.
“State losses due to corruption not only affect public finances, but also limit the government’s ability to deliver services, create jobs, and provide social protection,” Sumirat said.
