REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TIMIKA -- The workers of U.S. mining giant Freeport Indonesia finally agreed to cancel plan to launched a month long strike after a series of meetings with the company leaders.
Leader of the Freeport trade union Sudiro said the strike to started on Nov 6 was cancelled after a meeting with Freeport Mc MoRan big boss James Robert Moffet in Jakarta on Friday.
Sudiro described the result of the meeting as constructive and good for all concerned.
"Our goal is to make PT Freeport Indonesia a convenient place to work and more productive," Sudiro said.
Workers of Freeport and its seaport affiliate PT Kuala Pelabuhan Idonesia (KPI), power generating affiliate PT Puncak Jaya Power (PJP), earlier announced plan to launch a month long strike demanding the removal of a number of companies' officials.
The workers accused the officials of being repressive and discriminatory.
Sudiro said the demand for the removal of the official was the aspiration of the workers.
"The trade union has no right to make such demand but that is what they want. It is their collective decision . We only passed it on to the company management," he told Antara news agency in Timika earlier.
Freeport already suffered big, as starting January until July it could not export gold ore and copper with the implementation of the coal and mineral law No. 4 of 2009.
During that period the company had to slowdown operation cutting production to 40 percent of the normal level just to feed the smelter in Gresik , East Java.
Exports of gold ore and copper concentrate were resumed only in July after the government relaxed its regulation.
"We regret what had happened besetting the company as the impact would be bad not only for the company but also for the people including the workers," Yopi Kilangin, a former member of chairman of the Mimika city council.
It would be difficult for the management of the company to accept the demand as it would not only affect the management but it would also be a bad precedence, he said.
He hoped that Sudiro as the trade union leader could play the role of a fair partner for the company instead of washing his hands of the problem.
"We could not wash our hands. The trade union is representing the workers and it should be able to control its members," he added.
Mimika Regent Eltinus Omaleng had also facilitated a meeting between the company management and leaders of the PT Kuala Pelabuhan Indonesia (KPI), PT Puncak Jaya Power (PJP) units of the trade union.
"We hope there would a win win solution," Sudiro said on Thursday of the two day meeting in Jakarta.
Freeport Indonesia is an Indonesia unit of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold operating large copper and gold mines in Papua.
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