Freeport employees to keep a close eye on proceedings in Jakarta

The ongoing dispute between mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia’s (FI) management and employees will be heard at the Industrial Relations Court (PHI) in Jakarta on Thursday.

Airan, a member of Freeport’s workers’ union, said that employees would be positioned as defendants and witnesses in the case.

“We express our deep concern because there is no solution for the employees that have been on strike for 69 days, since Sept.15,” Airan told reporters at a press conference at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

He said that the workers’ union would continue to insist upon decent and fair wages and dignified treatment from Freeport’s management to the employees, as that was the right of every citizen.

Airan said there were indications of blocking the donation from the international labor society to Freeport employees who were on strike.

He added that he urged Freeport’s management to pay wages to those employees who have not been paid for three months because it was in violation of the Labor Law.

More than 4,000 workers employed under the outsourcing system went on strike on Sept. 15, 2011 after the management turned down their demand for a wage increase.