Over the past two months (March and April), the TPOLS Network has not only responded to global issues such as the escalation of the war in the Middle East, but also explored the successive threats and their impacts on workers and peasants. This is summarized in the May Day Joint Position Statement issued by the TPOLS Network at the end of April 2026. Furthermore, the TPOLS Secretariat is currently exploring the planning and development of research, campaigns, and the strengthening of alliances at the local, national, and international levels.
Global and National Campaigns
Anti-Imperialism and United States Hegemony
Throughout March and April 2026, particularly within WhatsApp (WA) groups, the TPOLS Network demonstrated strong solidarity against Human Rights (HR) violations at the national and global levels. Primary attention was directed towards the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East; the TPOLS Network actively condemned the United States and Israeli aggression against the sovereignty of Iran and Palestine. Several organizations actively shared campaign content from the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) regarding anti-imperialism, and held online discussions to examine the economic and political impacts of the escalating war in the Middle East on workers and peasants. Protests were also directed at Indonesia’s involvement in the Board of Peace (BoP) and the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), which are deemed likely to exacerbate the situation, as well as the rejection of the “Balikatan 2026” joint military exercises in the Philippines.
Land Grabbing, Criminalization, and Human Rights Violations
The condemnation of the escalating war in the Middle East also intersects with the rise of agrarian conflicts and human rights violations in various regions. Several agrarian conflict campaigns were amplified within the TPOLS Network, including the forced eviction of peasants in East Luwu in the name of a National Strategic Project (PSN), the rejection of palm oil expansion in Lonu Raya Village (Buol), as well as land grabbing and human rights violation scandals by the Socfin Group, which were outlined in the Collective Press Release on March 5, 2026.
Collective Press Release: Norwegian Pension Fund Dumps Bolloré for Human Rights Violations at Plantations (March 5, 2026)
The TPOLS WA group also serves as a platform for exchanging information regarding the threat of human rights violations against peasants, workers, and human rights and environmental activists, including: the APNED report on the extrajudicial killings of climate defenders, SUARAM’s Malaysia Human Rights Report 2025, a petition drive demanding justice for Andrie Yunus (KontraS), and the call for the release of the North Aceh Peasant Union fighters. In the Philippines, the series of human rights violations has reached a critical point, including the murder of community journalist RJ Ledesma, narrative manipulation by the Philippine military (NTF-ELCAC), as well as various practices of criminalization and repression by the local government.
Cross-Sectoral Solidarity
The deepening labor crisis is spreading across various sectors, particularly concerning increased workloads and the threat of layoffs. The TPOLS Network serves as a platform for exchanging information and mobilizing cross-sector solidarity, which includes: (1) Transportation & Logistics: Solidarity for the struggle of driver workers at PT Tiga Berdikari Abadi (KPBI); (2) Bonded Zones & Garments: Solidarity for the struggle of women workers at PT Amos KBN Cakung; (3) Mining Industrial Zones: Solidarity for the struggle of workers at the Bantaeng Industrial Zone (KIBA / PT Huadi Nickel Alloy); (4) Education: Solidarity for the Campus Workers Union (SPK) regarding the submission of a Judicial Review of the Teachers and Lecturers Law to the Constitutional Court.
Commemorations of IWD, IWMD, and May Day 2026
Commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) , March 8, 2026
Leading up to IWD 2026, the TPOLS Network shared IWD campaign content with one another regarding women’s struggles. This various content included: the position statement of Solidaritas Perempuan (Women’s Solidarity) on the ART and BoP Agreements, a Sedane Magazine report regarding the IWD Action in Jakarta which emphasized that IWD was born from the resistance of women workers against capitalism, as well as a short historical reflection video of the 1960s “March 8th Garden” (Kebun 8 Maret) to highlight the role of women in realizing family food sovereignty amidst the crisis.
Commemoration of International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), April 28, 2026
The 2026 IWMD commemoration serves as a moment for critical reflection on the increasingly concerning Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) conditions in Indonesia. TPOLS, in collaboration with LION Indonesia, Sawit Watch, and Rasamala Hijau Indonesia, organized an online discussion on April 26, 2026, under the theme “WORKERS WORK, NOT TO SELL THEIR LIVES!”.
In addition to presentations from the speakers highlighting national OHS conditions in the nickel industry and palm oil plantation sectors, several attendees also actively shared information regarding OHS conditions in various other sectors, such as manufacturing and construction. On April 28, 2026, various campaign contents were shared, including photos of the 2026 IWMD action by FBTPI and FSBPI at KBN Marunda.
May Day 2026 Demands: Collective Position Statement of the TPOLS Network
In welcoming May Day 2026, the TPOLS Network organized an online discussion to explore current agrarian and labor issues in order to formulate the demands of May Day 2026. Various representatives from labor unions, peasant unions, women’s activists, and environmental activists were actively involved in the discussion and stated their demands.
The results of the discussion found similar conclusions: the strengthening trend of land grabbing, the threat of mass layoffs, and the informalization of labor (casual daily workers/BHL, fixed-term employment contracts/PKWT, and outsourcing). This resulted in key demands such as the rejection of low wages, the abolition of outsourcing and forced PKWT, the cessation of layoffs and unilateral transfers, up to the halting of land grabbing, which were outlined and published in the May Day 2026 Collective Statement. Leading up to May Day 2026, the TPOLS Network was also active in sharing campaign content and position statements from various organizations.
MAY DAY 2026: Collective Statement of TPOLS Network (April 30, 2026)
Capacity Building, Action Research Plans, and Alliance Strengthening
Advocacy Capacity Building
In an effort to strengthen advocacy skills, the Socfin-Bollore Coalition (an international network) invited the TPOLS Network to join an online learning session regarding “Skills and Experience in Negotiating with Decision Makers (companies, government agencies, etc.)” on April 22, 2026. This learning session was also attended by networks from Africa and Cambodia. The Socfin-Bollore Coalition facilitated the advocacy learning exchange, distributed training modules, and administered evaluation forms after the event.
Development Plans for Nutrition and Workload Research, and the Strengthening of Local Alliances
In addition to focusing on exploring labor and agrarian issues for collective campaigns, the TPOLS Secretariat is currently exploring collaboration for the development of research or a survey on worker household nutrition. This program is a continuation of last year’s debt survey and is planned to be implemented this year. Furthermore, the TPOLS Secretariat is also exploring potential collaborations aimed at strengthening the alliance between workers and peasants for the development of subsequent agendas, whether at the local, national, or global levels.