Monday, April 24, 2017

1) Labor union condemns alleged shooting on Freeport workers


2) Company threatens workers over plans to strike at West Papua mine
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1) Labor union condemns alleged shooting on Freeport workers
Jakarta | Mon, April 24, 2017 | 01:28 pm
Andi Gani Nena Wea, president of the Indonesian Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI), lamented the actions of police officers who allegedly fired shots at PT Freeport Indonesia workers during a rally in Timika, Papua.
Andri Santoso, Sakarias, Puguh Prihandono, Wibowo, Faisal and Zainal Abidin were reportedly injured during a protest in front of Timika District Court on Thursday, demanding the release of Sudiro, a colleague who is standing trial in an embezzlement case.
"Thousands of our workers called on the judge to suspend Sudiro’s detention because of his [poor] health, but the judge denied [our demand]," Andi said.
The judge’s decision to return Sudiro to his cell angered protesters, which led to a clash with police personnel, said Peter Selestinus, one of Sudiro’s lawyers.
"Someone threw rocks at the feet of the Timika police chief, and officers responded by firing shots – they were aimed at protestors, not the air," he added.
Andi said he has been in direct communication with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to report on the incident and the actions of the Papua Police.
KSPSI will stage a solidarity rally for the victims on Labor Day, or May Day, on May 1.
Neither the Papua Police or the National Police have responded to queries related to the case. (dis/wit)
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2) Company threatens workers over plans to strike at West Papua mine

The global mining giant, Freeport McMoRan, is threatening to punish workers at its Indonesian unit who are threatening to strike over employment conditions.
2:08 pm today 

Tensions have been rising around the massive Grasberg mine in West Papua after Freeport laid off thousands of workers to stem losses from an ongoing dispute with the Indonesian government.
The Freeport workers' union said the company's efforts to reduce its workforce by as much as 10 percent have had extensive impacts, and announced plans for a 30-day strike from 1 May.
Indonesia halted Freeport's copper concentrate exports in January under new laws that require Freeport to get a special licence and divest a 51 percent stake in its operations, among other measures.
Negotiations had been underway, and Reuters reported an agreement was expected to be reached soon to allow exports to temporarily resume.
But a strike would severely impact those efforts to ramp up production.
A Freeport spokesperson, Eric Kinneberg, said absenteeism would be tracked at the mine, and disciplinary action would be enforced under the terms of a collective agreement.
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