Moh Nadlir, Jakarta – The Labour Movement for the People (Gebrak) will call for the formation of a political alternative at May Day demonstrations or the commemoration of International Labour Day on May 1.

Arbi Sumandoyo – “Jakarta is filthy. We have to be macho. Jakarta is filthy. It must be cleaned up... must be cleaned up”, shouted a speaker through a loudspeaker from a command vehicle on May Day in front of the Jakarta City Hall.

“So make a pile. All in one place. We’ll clean the City Hall of these unclear messages...”

Timika – Thousands of workers in Mimika, West Papua, commemorated International Labour Day or May Day by demanding that the Indonesian government immediately resolve the problems at the PT Freeport Indonesia (PFI) gold and copper mine.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – Workers in Indonesia’s northern-most province of Aceh commemorated May Day with a convoy around the main streets of the capital Banda Aceh on Monday May 1. They also gave speeches in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque and the Aceh Regional House of Representatives (DPRA).

Edzan Raharjo, Yogyakarta – International Labour Day or May Day was commemorated by a number of different groups with rallies in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta. The main location for the protests was the Jl. Malioboro shopping district and the zero kilometre point in front of the central post office.

Jakarta – Workers from the Association of Indonesian Trade Unions (GSBI) rallying at the Jakarta town hall on May 1 have demanded wage increases and an end to outsourcing end exploitative apprenticeships.

Worker representatives also demanded that the Jakarta provincial government (Pemprov DKI) end forced evictions in the capital.

Jakarta – Scores of “sewer rats” enlivened a rally in Central Jakarta commemorating International Labour Day 2017 which fell today on Monday May 1.

The rodents were not real animals but ordainments brought by protesters from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) to commemorate this year’s May Day.

Prins David Saut, Denpasar – Workers in Bali enlivened May Day by demanding increases to the provincial minimum wage (UMP) and dancing as they read out their demands.

Rallies commemorating International Labour Day in Indonesia were not just held in Jakarta. In Karawang, West Java, it was also the case except there the commemorations were joined by farmers.

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – Actions by a variety of groups celebrating Labour Day or May Day on May 1 in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung were centred on Jl. Diponegoro in front of the Sate Building, the West Java governor’s office.