Trade Union Calls for Eight Demands on Labour Day
The All-Indonesian Workers’ Union Association (ASPIRASI) is pressing for eight demands to reform the labour system on Labour Day. “Amid global challenges, technological disruptions, and economic uncertainties, the state must be present in a tangible way to guarantee justice and welfare for all workers,” said ASPIRASI President Mirah Sumirat in a written statement on Friday, 1 April 2026.
Mirah emphasised that Labour Day is not merely a commemoration but a momentum for collective struggle to uphold social justice.
She urged the state to side with workers or labourers as the backbone of national development. “There is no justice without workers’ welfare,” she stated.
Here are ASPIRASI’s eight demands on Labour Day.
- Ratification of the Labour Law
According to Mirah, the law must serve as the foundation for creating a balanced industrial relationship between workers and employers, while ensuring the state acts as a protector, not just a regulator.
- Halting Mass Layoffs
Mirah urged the government to ensure that companies, including state-owned enterprises, do not use efficiency as a pretext to sacrifice workers.
- Controlling AI Usage
Therefore, Mirah called on the state to regulate AI usage so that it does not harm workers. She also demanded the implementation of fair Human-Machine Collaboration, meaning technology should support, not replace, humans.
- Eliminating Exploitative Digital Platform Partnership Practices
Mirah demanded the abolition of sham partnership practices that disadvantage workers. She further called for recognition of digital platform workers as employees with clear status and equal rights.
- Eliminating Discriminatory and Exploitative Recruitment Requirements
She also urged the government to stop exploitative practices against job seekers, such as prolonged internships without job certainty and fair wages. Additionally, she encouraged a transparent, fair, and competency-based recruitment system.
- Improving Welfare for Healthcare Workers
Mirah demanded that the state increase wages and welfare for healthcare workers in a fair and proportional manner. She also called for clear employment status and career certainty.
- Comprehensive Social Protection Guarantee
Mirah urged the government to ensure that all workers, both formal and informal, are registered and protected under the national social security system, such as BPJS Health and BPJS Employment.
- Ratifying the Asset Confiscation Bill
Mirah assessed that the government must promptly ratify the Asset Confiscation Bill to optimise the return of assets from corruption.