Sunday, September 11, 2011

Freeport Workers Plan to Strike Again

PT Freeport Indonesia, 81.28% owned by U.S Gold and Copper company Freeport-McMoran, is the world's largest producer of Gold and Copper, with its mines located in the Indonesian Province of Papua.

Freeport started mining Copper in the late '60s, but after several years it admitted that it has also been mining Gold.

Today, more than 40 years later, very large quantity of Gold and Copper have been mined and shipped to many countries of the world, making Freeport and its owners getting more richer every day.

Platts reported that Freeport's Copper production rose to 284 Million Lbs, in the January-February quarter from 279 lbs a year earlier. Gold output increased to 441,000 oz from 429,000 oz last year.  Their first half production figures were not available.

Freeport estimates its 2011 sales to hit 1 billion lbs of Copper and 1.3 million troy oz of Gold. WOW!

Unfortunately, Freeport's profit is not felt by its workers, therefore causing them to protests for better wages and working conditions.

Last July, around 8,000 workers went on strike disrupting production and halted ore shipments at the time. The workers union had then asked for a review of workers wages and welfare and also cancel the plan to fire some union members from the company's board.

But considering that Freeport has not given in to the workers demand on wage adjustments, the workers union has informed the company that around 11,025 workers plan to go on strike from 15 September to 15 October.

Meanwhile, a Freeport spokesman asked the union to keep on negotiating, saying that since negotiations started on 20 July, it has offered a good compensation package for the workers. When annualized, the package will amount to 26 times the basic monthly wage [excluding overtime]. In addition, other benefit increases include more value for housing loans, bonuses for shift work, and educational assistance for their dependent children.

I hope that the Indonesian government, which also own Freeport's shares, will persuade Freeport to give much better compensation package for the workers.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

sepertinya mental mereka sama seperti pendahulunya.
terlihat jelas tidak punya etika baik terhadap pekerja. Apakah dia juga berpikir tentang kerusakan dan warisan bencana yang bakal di dapat bangsa ini...?

mereka bermental sama. seperti pendahulunya, cuma hanya beda cara dengan memakai media pejabat tolol yang rela mengorbankan bangsanya sendiri.

maaf agak keras atau kurang sopan,karena mengikuti cerita freeport,hati pingin menangis

colson said...

This is what really hurts: "Unfortunately, Freeport's profit is not felt by its workers". That and the cynicism of capitalism and greed which can turn a land abundant with treasures of gold and copper, into a desert of deprivation, misery and violence.

smp 3 lembang said...

kalau lihat penghasilan dari freeport mungkin tidak semestinya penduduk Papua ada yang belum kenal pakaian dan pendidikan

Mr. Nya' said...

While I think, the Treaty between the Government of Indonesia with the Freeport, control the people and workers can get prosperity.

Unknown said...

@Wisata Murah,
Saya sependapat dengan anda.
Kasus Freeport hanya salah satu contoh saja dari apa yang terjadi dinegara kita.

@Colson,
You are very right, Freeport does not care about the impact of their operation to the nature, they just throw away the tailing as they like it and the authority doesn't seem to care.

@Smp3Lembang,
Benar, kalau hasilnya dibagi secara adil maka rakyat Papua berkembang lebih maju.

@Mr Nyariadi,
Our government must pay more attention to the interests of the people of Papua.

Unknown said...

Hi Harry

If this doesn't seem like a wake up call to the govt and the company I don't know what will.

Too often countries with rich minerals aren't benefiting at all. Why is that so.

Have a good week ahead Harry.Take care of yrself ya
Umi

Iskaruji dot com said...

If the fact such that mess, when workers as the mainstream for PT Freeport Indonesia running and profitable left behind with lower compensation, what they actualized in protests is on the right way, I think.

This situation make up my mind to Japan colonialism named "Romusha". But the colonialist are comin' from our own country and racist..Just wish government pay more attention about this matter...Nice psot and happy blogging Sob!

gajah_pesing said...

became my question is, is there a contribution to the local population there?

r10 said...

di setiap propinsi kaya SDA kasusnya juga seperti itu, perusahaan bertambah kaya, tapi rakyat sekitar tertinggal

kalimantan kaya akan minyak, tapi rakyatnya tertinggal, bahkan BBM disana langka

Unknown said...

@Umihoney,
You are absolutely right this is really a wake up call especially for the government and the company.
Ignoring it would be disastrous.

@Iskaruji,
In a way, it is comparable to the Japanese Romusha way during World War II only now our own people are involved with the Americans.

@Gajah Pesing,
In this case the workers represent the people.

@R10,
Sangat disayangkan. Harusnya daerah kaya sumber alam dibangun secara pantas.