Labor Group Warns DPR of Potential August Unrest Over Employment Bill

August 3, 2026 | 04:51 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A coalition of labor unions in Indonesia has submitted a draft proposal for a new Employment Bill to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, as workers push for faster progress on labor law reform ahead of an October 2026 deadline.

The draft was handed over during a meeting between labor representatives and the DPR’s working committee on the Employment Bill at Cucun’s office in the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday, August 3, 2026.

President of the Confederation of All Indonesian Workers’ Unions (KSPSI) Andi Gani Nena said the proposal was prepared by members of the Great Indonesian Labor Struggle Coalition, which consists of 18 labor confederations representing 157 worker federations.

“About 90 percent of the labor movement’s strength is represented in this coalition. We prepared the Employment Bill draft over one full week to discuss it with the DPR,” Andi said.

Andi urged both the legislative and executive branches to take the drafting process seriously, citing the limited time remaining before the October 31, 2026 deadline. He also warned that tensions could escalate if workers’ demands are not accommodated.

“As we know, there are predictions of major unrest in August. At the grassroots level, we are already aware of situations that could become very vulnerable,” Andi said.

He called on the DPR and the government to prioritize discussions on the Employment Bill to prevent a repeat of the large-scale demonstrations that erupted over the Job Creation Law, or Omnibus Law, in 2020 and subsequent years.

“We do not want what happened with the Omnibus Law to happen again, with a lengthy process, multiple revisions, and strong resistance across Indonesia,” he said.

Labor Law Reform Deadline

The push for a separate Employment Law follows Constitutional Court Decision No. 168/PUU-XXI/2023, which ordered that labor regulations be removed from the broader Job Creation Law framework and established under a separate law.

The Constitutional Court gave the government and lawmakers two years from the decision date to complete the new regulation, setting October 31, 2026, as the deadline.

Andi, who also serves as an expert adviser to National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, urged the DPR to continue coordinating with labor groups until the bill is enacted.

He also called on lawmakers, who are currently in recess, not to slow down the drafting process.

DPR Says Bill Process Still Long

Cucun welcomed the labor coalition’s proposal, saying the submission was part of efforts to gather input for the drafting of the Employment Bill.

He said the DPR’s working committee under Commission IX would continue working during the recess period to advance the legislative process.

However, the PKB politician acknowledged that the bill still faces a lengthy process after the initial draft is completed. The proposal must undergo review by the drafting team (timus), synchronization team (timsin), and further harmonization at the DPR’s Legislative Body (Baleg).

“During the timus and timsin stages, we want everyone to continue providing input. The harmonization process at Baleg will also take time. After that, it will return to Commission IX before being brought to a plenary session as an DPR-initiated bill,” Cucun said.

Cucun said the new Employment Law is expected to strengthen worker protections while also providing legal certainty for businesses.

He argued that a balanced regulation addressing workers’ rights, protection, and employers’ legal certainty would help create a healthier investment climate in Indonesia.

“Once the interests of workers, worker protection, and legal certainty for businesses are balanced, we hope Indonesia’s investment climate can continue to grow rapidly,” he said.

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