Sea of Workers Attend May Day Commemoration at Monas Today
Jakarta, VIVA – Since the Jakarta sky was still grey in the early hours, the National Monument or Monas area has already been crowded with thousands of workers from various parts of Indonesia on Friday, 1 May 2026.
They arrived in groups, some using buses, trains, and even motorbikes, carrying banners, union flags, and voices demanding better welfare.
Based on observations, it slowly turned into a sea of humans. The colourful union attributes mixed with the morning sun’s heat. Among the crowd, faces weary from long journeys contrasted with undiminished spirits.
Rudi (34), a textile factory worker from Bekasi, West Java, said he set off at dawn to join this year’s International Labour Day commemoration.
“I left at 4 a.m. with my factory colleagues. It’s tiring, of course, but this is an important moment for us. Once a year, we can voice our concerns directly here,” he explained.
Not only from the Jakarta outskirts, workers from other islands also joined the Monas event. Siti (29), a retail sector worker from Lampung, said the long journey did not deter her from attending.
“We took a bus for nearly 10 hours. This is my first time joining May Day in Jakarta. I hope the government listens more to workers’ voices, especially regarding wages and job security,” she said.
On the other side of the field, a group of workers from East Java was seen unfurling a large banner. Among them, Agus (41), a manufacturing worker from Surabaya, viewed May Day not merely as a ceremony, but as a moment for consolidation.
“We came from far away not for sightseeing. This is about our future. The cost of living keeps rising, but wages sometimes don’t match. So we want real changes,” he stated.
The main stage was enlivened by performances from the capital’s singers, such as Band Kotak, followed by Band Tipe-X. The loudspeakers echoed, greeted with applause and singing from the crowd.
Even though the weather was slightly overcast with only a small sun, the workers remained steadfast. Some sat on the edges, while others stood waving flags.
Based on gathered information, around 400,000 people are projected to crowd the Monas area for this year’s May Day commemoration. That number consists of various elements, from workers to online motorcycle taxi drivers.