Tens of thousands of workers from various different factory units, trade unions and labour confederations packed the streets in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on May 1 to declare the formation of a new labour party, although not all groups were united in this.

Mei Amelia R, Jakarta – Tens of thousands of protesting workers have packed the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic Circle in Central Jakarta this morning, Friday May 1, turning the Thamrin business district into a sea of people.

Avit Hidayat, Surabaya – Commemorating International Labour Day in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) held a silent protest at the Surabaya monument for press struggle on Friday May 1.

Ihsan Dalimunthe – Workers are sick and tired of the empty promises made by the political elite and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. It is time for workers to have their own political vehicle that is born out of their own womb.

Hari Istiawan, Malang – Hundreds of workers from the East Java city of Malang gathered at the monument traffic circle to commemorate International Labour Day on May 1. Some of the workers also brought their children to take part in the mass meeting.

Dwi Renjani, Bandung – Hundreds of workers held a rally in front of the governor’s office at the Gedung Sate building in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on International Labour Day where they made a number of demands.

Puji Sukiswanti, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers from the Balinese United Labour Alliance (ABBB) held a rally at the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in the provincial capital of Denpasar on April 30.

Jakarta – Indonesian trade union leaders felt enormously flattered to be invited by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to join him on the presidential plane to visit the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang to officiate the construction of 1 million homes for workers.

Jakarta – An announcement by the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) that the punk rock band Superman Is Dead (SID) will be performing at the May Day Fiesta on May 1 has been denied by the band.

Sign reads: Airport