Friday, 20th April 2007 (2210 views)

Employees of the Freeport McMoRan group have continued striking action for the third day at a mine in Indonesia's Papua province.

The workers' action centres on a dispute over pay and benefits with the gold and copper firm, with demands also having been placed to recruit more Papuan workers.

Frans Pigome, a spokesperson for the group representing the workers, Tongi Papua, said it was in a "waiting position", with talks with Freeport having failed to achieve the required results.

Although he said that a teleconference meeting had been scheduled for early in the morning yesterday, negotiations had not taken place as of midday, with "no explanation having been given".

As part of the protests, some 7,000 miners have gathered on the site of the headquarters of PT Freeport Indonesia, outside the town of Timika, with Mr Pigome explaining how Tongi Papua was committed for it to remain peaceful.

Freeport's 30-year contract to mine resources at the location commenced after terms were arranged with the Indonesian government in 1992.

 

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