Two May Day Action Sites in Jakarta on 1 May: Monas and DPR Building

The action sites for International Labour Day (May Day) celebrations on 1 May 2026 in Jakarta will be divided into two locations. The first location will be at the National Monument (Monas), while the second will be in front of the MPR/DPR/DPD RI Building. The action at Monas is scheduled to be attended by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. “President Prabowo, God willing, is scheduled to attend the peak of the 2026 National Labour Day commemoration to be held at the National Monument,” said Qodari during a press conference at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (29/4). The Minister of Environment, who is also a labour figure, Jumhur Hidayat, stated that around 300,000 workers will attend the May Day roll call at Monas on 1 May 2026. Jumhur also said he would come there by motorbike. He plans to attend with around 40,000 workers from Jakarta by motorbike. “Workers, 300,000, yes, we will roll call together at Monas,” said Jumhur at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday (27/4). Separately, the President of the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) and also President of the Labour Party, Said Iqbal, stated that KSPI will mobilise around 50,000 members to Monas. Said Iqbal said that KSPI members will celebrate May Day together with Prabowo at Monas. Meanwhile, the Confederation of the Congress of Indonesian Trade Union Alliances (KASBI) refuses to join the May Day Fiesta event at Monas. KASBI chooses to hold an action in front of the DPR RI Building. The Chairman of the KASBI Confederation, Sunarno, estimated that there will be 10,000 action participants descending in front of the DPR RI Building. “We from the KASBI Confederation together with the GEBRAK Alliance (Workers’ Movement Together with the People) will carry out a demonstration in front of the DPR RI Building in Jakarta with an estimated 10,000 people,” said Sunarno in a written statement on Thursday (30/4). Sunarno stated that they chose a different path because they considered the May Day Fiesta celebration at Monas to be laden with mainstream narratives and co-optation by power. He stated that the real labour conditions in Indonesia are still very concerning today. “Where guarantees of employment certainty or labour employment status are instead included in the labour market flexibility scheme, namely a work system that provides flexibility in fulfilling the normative rights of workers, or a work system that leads to the informalisation of the workforce,” he said. He also stated that this condition makes it increasingly difficult for workers to obtain permanent worker status. Moreover, this is reinforced by the Job Creation Law and Government Regulation No. 35 of 2021. Sunarno emphasised that May Day is truly not just a national holiday, but a moment for reflection on commitments to equality, social justice, and human dignity in the workplace. “The true labour movement must be independent and not ‘tamed’ by capital interests or political power that harms workers,” he said.