May Day Labour Rally in Medan Features Dancing and Tumpeng Cutting with the Mayor

Thousands of workers in the city of Medan celebrated International Labour Day, or May Day 2026, in a unique manner. The May Day commemoration was held at Pardede Hall, Medan Baru, on Friday (1/5). The workers marked the occasion with various activities, including singing together, cutting a tumpeng, and a lucky draw giveaway. The event was attended by members of the Medan Regional Leadership Council (Muspida), including Medan Mayor Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas, Medan Police Chief Commissioner Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak, Commander of the 0201/Medan Infantry Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Delli Yudha Adi Nurcahyo, and Medan DPRD member Lailatul Badri. During the event, Mayor Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas joined the workers in singing and even stepped down from the stage to mingle with the thousands of attendees. In addition to singing, the May Day commemoration included the mayor cutting a tumpeng and presenting it to worker representatives. Rico then drew lucky dip tickets and awarded prizes such as mobile phones, bicycles, and smart TVs to fortunate workers. Rico Waas stressed that the working class is the main pillar and the lifeblood of Medan’s economy and development. “Workers are the lifeblood of the economy, the strength of development, and the cornerstone of the future. Without workers, development is mere rhetoric,” said Rico Waas in front of the thousands of workers filling the venue. He also highlighted the importance of job security and protection of workers’ rights. He pledged that aspirations falling under the authority of the central or provincial government would continue to be formally forwarded by the Medan City Government. “Therefore, synergy between government, businesses, and labour unions through open and ongoing dialogue is essential. Collaboration is the key to realising tangible worker welfare,” he stated. The Medan City Government, Rico continued, is committed to continuing to safeguard workers’ rights, from job security and labour protection to a fair wage system. He then outlined 10 strategic commitments from the Medan City Government. These points include strengthening tripartite synergy, strict oversight of workers’ normative rights, and efforts to determine a fairer and more decent City Minimum Wage (UMK). In addition to discussing technical aspects of welfare, Rico invited all elements of society to maintain the city’s conducive atmosphere through communicative dialogue full of brotherhood. “This city does not belong only to the government or businesses, but to the workers and all of Medan’s society. Let us fight for workers’ rights for a just Medan,” he asserted, met with shouts of “Long Live the Workers!” from the participants. This 2026 May Day commemoration was attended by around 1,000 participants from worker, company, and government sectors. Acting Head of the Medan City Manpower Office and Committee Chairman, Ramaddan, stated that the event serves as a strategic space to strengthen relations between workers, businesses, and government in building more harmonious and sustainable communication. As part of the programme, worker representatives read a statement of position, which was then handed over to the Medan Mayor. In addition, the Medan City Government distributed social assistance in the form of 1,100 staple food packages to the workers. Meanwhile, thousands of other workers celebrated May Day at Pancing Sports Hall with North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution. Unlike those two groups, a combined mass of workers also voiced their demands by taking to the streets and gathering in front of the North Sumatra DPRD Office.