Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Several labor unions affiliated with the Alliance of Labor Movement with the People (Gebrak) have confirmed they will stage a May Day rally in front of the Parliament building in Jakarta on Friday, May 1, 2026. The group declined to join the Confederation of the All-Indonesia Workers' Union (KSPSI) rally at the National Monument, which will be attended by President Prabowo Subianto.
The Gebrak alliance includes the Confederation of the All-Indonesia Labor Union (KASBI), the Federation of Indonesian Labor Struggle (FPBI), the Federation of Food and Beverage Workers' Union (FSBMM), and various other civil society organizations.
KASBI Chairperson Sunarno stated that approximately 10,000 people are expected to participate in the demonstration at the legislative complex.
"Our theme is 'May Day with the People'," he said when contacted on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Sunarno emphasized that their rally is distinct from the KSPSI event at the National Monument. He asserted that commemorating Labor Day at the Parliament building is an independent and self-reliant action.
"The May Day celebration at the National Monument, in our view, is filled with mainstream narratives and the co-optation of power," he stated.
FPBI Chairperson Herman Abdulrohman added that celebrating Labor Day with the President offers no guarantee that labor demands will be met. According to Herman, participating in state-led festivities obscures the true essence of the day for workers.
"For us, May Day is a day to reflect on the conditions of laborers in terms of work, wages, and life," Herman said on Thursday.
The Gebrak Alliance outlined several key demands for the rally. First, they urged the government to immediately enact a labor-friendly Manpower Act, demanding that unions be involved in the legislative process.
The second demand focuses on reforming the wage system and eliminating disparities. The alliance is calling for a fair and dignified national wage for all laborers.
Additional demands include ensuring job security, abolishing outsourcing and contract work systems, and ratifying ILO Conventions 188 and 190. They also called for improved welfare for educators and healthcare workers, an end to mass layoffs, the provision of free education and healthcare, and the upholding of civilian supremacy.
Finally, the alliance demanded that the government implement genuine agrarian reform by halting land evictions and actively engaging in global efforts for world peace.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2101154/labor-alliance-to-hold-may-day-rally-at-parliamen