KPC workers end strike, lift blockade<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Striking workers at coal mining company PT
\nKaltim Prima Coal (kPC) ended their five-week strike on Saturday
\nand lifted the blockade that had led to temporary closure of the
\ncompany's operation in the Sanggata regency, East Kalimantan, an
\nexecutive of the company said.<\/p>\n
"They've cleared the mining site and we're now checking
\nwhether any of the heavy vehicles used for the blockade suffer
\nfrom damages," KPC representative for Jakarta Bambang told The
\nJakarta Post over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He said the workers agreed to lift the blockade after meeting
\nwith Muchtar Pakpahan, the chairman of the Indonesian Prosperity
\nLabor Union (SBSI), which organized the strike.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that KPC would resume operation by Saturday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
The striking workers took the company by surprise last week
\nwhen they unexpectedly backed away from an earlier agreement to
\nend the strike.<\/p>\n
Prerequisite for the agreement was to resume negotiations on
\nthe workers' demands, which include a 15 percent salary increase
\nand the reinstallment of daily allowances.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that with the workers' decision to end the
\nstrike, negotiations could resume on July 31 in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, he was cautious about predicting that the mining site
\nwould remain in operation, considering the unpredictable behavior
\nof the workers.<\/p>\n
KPC stopped operations on Tuesday last week for the second
\ntime in less than five weeks because of fruitless negotiations.<\/p>\n
Negotiations at the Ministry of Manpower in Jakarta between
\nKPC and SBSI faltered last week.<\/p>\n
Bambang rejected the notion that a misunderstanding between
\nnegotiators in Jakarta and the workers on site caused them to
\nback away from their initial agreement to end the strike.<\/p>\n
"They (the striking workers) simply have no respect for
\nrules," he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang said earlier that SBSI should honor the deal it had
\nmade with KPC, and that disagreements within SBSI were of no
\nconcern to the company.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the 150 striking workers for enforcing
\ntheir will on the company, as they represented only a minority of
\nKPC's working force of 2,600 people.<\/p>\n
Losses<\/p>\n
The company has reported losses of US$ 1.4 million a day,
\nequivalent to 50,000 metric tons of coal, due to the blockade.<\/p>\n
It further said that the government was losing up to Rp 3
\nbillion (US$337,000) a day in royalties and tax revenue.<\/p>\n
KPC is jointly owned by giant Anglo-Australian mining company
\nRio Tinto and British-American oil and gas company BP Amoco PLC.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he suspected the involvement of foreign anti-
\nmining movements in the dispute, Bambang said he saw no
\nindications of such an influence.<\/p>\n
He was responding to a statement by Minister of Mines and
\nEnergy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who blamed foreign anti-mining
\nmovements for many disputes between mining firms and local
\nresidents or workers.<\/p>\n
The minister said he found indications of covert activities
\naimed at shutting down Indonesian mining operations.<\/p>\n
However, Bambang admitted that the KPC dispute might be under
\nthe observance of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGO).<\/p>\n
"I've seen members of foreign NGOs accompanying the striking
\nworkers during negotiations," he said.<\/p>\n
But the foreigners took no active part in the talks, they
\nmerely observed the process he added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile executive of the Indonesian Mining Association (IMA)
\nPaul L. Coutrier shares the minister's suspicion of a foreign
\nanti-mining movement.<\/p>\n
"IMA suspects the same, the only reason why we haven't spoken
\nout before, is because there is no proof of such a movement," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In the case of KPC, Coutrier said, the strike clearly
\nbenefited the company's competitors.<\/p>\n
Coutrier said it was reasonable that many coal producing
\ncountries resented Indonesia because of its success in exporting
\ncoal.<\/p>\n
According to him, Indonesia managed within 10 years to raise
\nits coal production to the present level of about 70 million tons
\nfrom only 10 million tons.<\/p>\n
He noted that competitors might sponsor anti-mining movements
\nin Indonesia through the involvement of NGOs.<\/p>\n
But he added that NGOs were essential in the mining industry
\nto maintain checks and balances.<\/p>\n
"This is a democracy, people should be able to express their
\nopinion as a means to check and balance," he said.<\/p>\n
However, he said that any disputes with mining companies
\nshould not force a company to close down its operation.<\/p>\n
Even with charges of environmental damage, surrounding
\ncommunities and the government are still economically dependent
\non mining operations.<\/p>\n
"Especially in these hard times, we cannot afford to loose
\nincome and employment," he explained.<\/p>\n
Coutrier suggested that NGOs should provide scientific
\nevidence before making allegations. (bkm)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kpc-workers-end-strike-lift-blockade-1447893297",
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