Protest Outside the Ministry of Manpower as Workers Are Invited to Talks

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - After delivering speeches for about an hour, the group of labour demonstrators in front of the Office of the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia was invited to hold an audience with Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.

“So, the information from the Ministry of Manpower is that they invited us, at least the Deputy Minister,” said one speaker from the command vehicle on Wednesday.

After representatives of the leading organisations gathered, they were escorted by the police to enter the Ministry of Manpower complex.

“Let us applaud the representatives of our comrades from FSPMI and the Labour Party who will hold an audience with the Ministry of Manpower!” cried the speaker.

Meanwhile, hundreds of other demonstrators remained in the parking area in front of the ministry gates.

Chairman of the Labour Party, Said Iqbal, criticised this treatment. According to him, the invitation to an audience was only conveyed while they were demonstrating.

“If we want to protest, we are invited. If we stop protesting, we are ignored. The same goes for the Labour Bill earlier. If today we want to protest, we are invited. If there is no protest, we are ignored,” Iqbal told reporters.

In addition, they also urged the passage of the Labour Act by October 2026, demanded tax-free THR payments, and rejected imports of pickup trucks from India.

Also, the demonstrators called for the reinstatement of PBI BPJS Kesehatan participants, and the enactment of the Domestic Worker Law (UU Pekerja Rumah Tangga, PRT) which has been promised for decades.