Freeport workers end strike

Freeport workers end strike

JAKARTA (JP): After being on strike since Aug. 10 to demand a
pay increase and protest alleged discrimination against local
staff, PT Freeport Indonesia employees in Irian Jaya agreed on
Friday to return to work.

Company spokesperson Yuli Ismartono said in a statement
yesterday that the strike ended "without incident" but did not
specify the agreement between the workers and the company.

"The wildcat strikers agreed to return to their workplace
without incident following successful deliberations with the
government of Indonesia and company authorities. The mill and
mine facilities began resumption this (Friday) evening," she
said.

The labor strike involving about 5,000 local employees hit PT
Freeport's Grassberg complex. The industrial action forced the
company to suspend its mining and milling operations as safety
measures. However, the loading and shipping of concentrate at the
port facility continued, Yuli said.

Beside striking for a pay hike, the strikers demanded that the
company eliminate alleged corruption, collusion and nepotism
within the firm; reinstate employees fired for their labor
activism and reintroduce a regulation on annual leave.

They also protested at what they saw as discrimination against
local employees which they claim is evident in the salary scale
by which locals are paid less than foreign employees of the same
seniority. "The management of Freeport Indonesia will continue
its practice of reviewing its package of wages and benefits to
ensure that it remains competitive with other companies," Yuli
said. (pan)