Freeport: Workers warn management of strike action next week

Freeport: Workers warn management of strike action next week

Jubi, 25 June 2011 - The local branch of the union of energy and mining workers at Freeport-Indonesia announced on Friday 24 June that it had set a deadline of 4 July for its decision to organise a strike at Freeport.

The intention to take strike action was announced by the chair of the Freeport branch, Virgo Solossa.

'We are keeping the door open for the management to recognise our legitimate demand for talks but if the management makes no response, the strike will go ahead.'

Since the weekend all the workers on the low-land and high-land company premises have been wearing black arm bands as a sign of the death of industrial partnership, which the company has until now praised.

The cause for the strike action is that a number of members of the union are threatened with dismissal for allegedly being absent from work.

'This is an act of discrimination and intimidation against our right as leading members of the union. We have no intention of allowing this to happen, and give the management until 3 July. If they fail to response, then any question of industrial partnership will be regarded as dead.,'said Virgo.

The action will involve the 8,000 workers at the company.

ENDS

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