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Support the workers strike at Freeport Indonesia
Federation of Independent Trade Unions (GSBI) Statement - October 3, 2011
Solidarity greetings,
As reported in various media as well as the chronology of cases that submitted to the Central Executive Board of Federation of Independent Trade Unions (DPP GSBI) on Thursday, 29 September 2011 ago, that there has been a workers strike of PT Freeport Indonesia, since September 15, 2011 till now.
The strike is caused by Arrogant attitudes and arbitrary actions committed by the PT. Freeport Indonesia against the workers. Greed, arbitrariness and injustice as well as anti-democratic attitude, played by PT Freeport Indonesia toward more less 12,000 Mining workers of PT. Freeport Indonesia, has spawned the resistance of the workers in the form of strikes is so powerful, but yet again the government is only silence and the absence of serious efforts to resolve the issues. The attitudes of Silence that played by the Government, – especially the central government – showed lack of courage in front of PT. Freeport Indonesia.
PT Freeport is the world's largest mining company, which is an affiliate of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Mining companies operating in the highlands in Mimika District, Papua Province, is a Mining company owned by the US imperialists in the areas of the world's largest copper, the world's major producer of molybdenum (metal used in high-strength alloy steel, chemical products, and production of lubricants) as well as gold and silver producer in the world. Mining company in operation since the signed of the First contract illegally on April 7, 1967 has robbed the wealth natural resources of Indonesia and bring benefits abound for the US imperialists.
Since operation in Indonesia, PT. Freeport Indonesia has spawned a wide range of problems. Besides bringing the destruction of nature and ecosystems are very severe, PT. Freeport Indonesia also has given rise to misery and squalor for the people of Papua in particular and people of Indonesia in general. Since operation in during the Soeharto regime until now, the present cases that occur are not countless, because there is no indeed of good faith to fulfil the demands of the people of Papua, especially about problems of Freeport. The demands of peoples of Papua that urged and demanding settlement of disputes with PT. Freeport Indonesia, is always answered with the gun, provoke of conflict, that had spawned inter-tribal war, the mobilization of military force in the area of mining of PT. Freeport Indonesia, has given rise to acts of violence against the people of Papua who demand justice, even the influx of state tactical funds are only used for asset security company of PT. Freeport Indonesia than to give the space its own sovereignty to the people of Papua.
In view of GSBI that the demands of wage increases for workers and deny the existence of wage discrimination among workers as well as improving working conditions in negotiation matter of Collective Bargaining Agreement is a normative demands are legitimate and justified by legislation, GSBI also believe that a strike by the workers of PT Freeport Indonesia which starting from September 15, 2011 was a legitimate strike by national or international law because it is done in accordance with the procedure. However, because of the cunning of PT Freeport Indonesia alone that led as if the strike done by the workers of PT Freeport Indonesia is not legally valid.
GSBI have already obtained a valid information and reliable, that there have been happen violations committed by the company PT Freeport Indonesia during the strike lasts, the company of PT Freeport Indonesia has committed acts that violate the law, with various forms of intimidation, terror and threats of beatings had been done by the management of PT Freeport Indonesia. Even on September 11, 2011 at 22:00 before the strike carried out, there any assassination attempt against Mr. Sudiro as chairman of Trade Unions of PT Freeport Indonesia. This action is clearly an attempt made by PT. Freeport Indonesia to thwart the plan of strikes a far-away days have been prepared and notified to the government agency responsible for manpower affairs.
Evidences of violation done by PT Freeport Indonesia include the following: that on 17 September 2011 Management of PT Freeport Indonesia has forced teh committee of strike to leave the airport, whereas placed the Committee team is there to keeping the Company's facilities as part of implementation of the Act and in order the workers who on duty for the Public Interest continued to work as usual (no strike).
Forcing Employees, Staff of Contractor back to Tembagapura to return to work by using Helycopter, make sweeping into the barracks from room-to-room to look for workers who stay at their room & forced workers to sign a Statement of Return of to work and does not support and joined in the Strike of Peaceful and Orderly. If the workers do not want a signing of the statement then the workers were ordered to leave the Tembagapura. Coercing the internship workers to do the job Production, both carrying vehicle or operate heavy equipment in the factory (and Concentrating Mill and Ore-Flow) are the student from the Apprentice NMI.
The Other evidence is on September 18, 2011 PT Freeport Indonesia has replaced workers who are on strike with a way to bring workers from outside of Papua massively. Labor Contractor (either already working on the project of PT. Freeport Indonesia and or from outside of Papua) forced to work more 12 hours to pursuit of the lost production during the Strike. Coercing to every workers on the bus to signed the Statement of Willing to Work and Refusing the strike that conducted at Post of Mile 66, Tembagapura when the worker who rose to Tembagapura. As well as forcibly expel the Official of Trade Union who intends to provide explanations about the labour Lawa, especially regulation of Strike to the workers at Terminal Gorong-gorong, other than that of PT. Freeport Indonesia also unwilling to pay wage to the for workers who strike and threaten of layoffs to the workers who do strike.
These incident has proved to all of us that the company owned US imperialists company (PT Freeport Indonesia) which has a huge advantage and abundant of the results of exploration in Indonesia has done the barbarous acts and extremely cruel to workers who have worked hard and risked their lives for the sake of continuity production of PT Freeport Indonesia.
Based on the above description then we hereby Central Executive Board of the Federation of Independent Trade Union (DPP-GDBI) is a union which organize the workers from various sector industry convey statement as follows:
1. Support fully the struggle of workers of PT Freeport Indonesia to demand the rights that have grabbed by the company PT Freeport Indonesia.
2. Condemns and strongly condemns the attitude and actions of PT Freeport Indonesia, which has proven to perform various forms of intimidation, terror and the threat of layoffs to workers of PT Freeport Indonesia, who joined in the Strike.
3. Urge PT. Freeport Indonesia to immediately renegotiations with workers and trade unions and urge PT. Freeport Indonesia to immediately stop the acts of intimidation; imposing sanctions of any kind to the workers who used their right to strike and immediately to fulfill all the demands of the workers especially in the demands of wage increases; improvement of working conditions in area of the mining of PT. Freeport Indonesia.
4. Urge the Government of Indonesia to ensure that PT. Freeport Indonesia will pays wage and other entitlements to the workers during the strike.
5. Urge the Government of Indonesia to evaluate and review the contract with PT. Freeport Indonesia which clearly has no benefits for the people of Indonesia, it only brings damage to nature and ecosystems, depriving the rights of indigenous people of Papua and depriving workers' rights.
GSBI also call to all of workers, Unions and people of Indonesia to continue build unity and solidarity, as well as support the struggle of the workers of PT Freeport Indonesia in demanding their rights that have been grabbing by the company of PT Freeport Indonesia.
Thus the Statement of GSBI as a form our support to struggle of the workers of PT. Freeport Indonesia.
Jakarta, October 3, 2011
Sincerely,
Central Executive
Board
Federation of
Independent Trade Union
Rudy HB. Daman,
Chairperson
Emelia Yanti
MD. Siahaan, General Secretary
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