TIMIKA. Thousands of workers of United States gold and copper mining company, PT Freeport Indonesia, have started to stage a month-long strike until May 30, 2017, after they failed to reach an agreement with the company's management.

Chairman of the Chemical, Energy and Mining Workers Unit of PT Freeport Indonesia's All Indonesian Workers Union (PUK SP-KEP), Yafet Panggala, said here on Monday that the strike was staged to coincide with the observance of the May Day International Laborer Day.

"We awaited the goodwill of the management to accept our demand until 00:00 hours Eastern Indonesia Time (WIT) last night. But it did not happen, and an agreement was not reached. Thus, our letter of notification to the management and the government to stage a strike is valid," Panggala stated.

The strike by PT Freeport Indonesia's workers will be followed by PT Freeport Indonesia's contractors and other affiliated firms who are grouped in 14 work units, according to Panggala.

However, Freeport's contractors and affiliated companies will join the strike on May 9, 2017, as stated in their strike notification to the local Manpower, Transmigration and Housing Service in Mimika.

Panggala noted that PUK SP-KEP has continued to open the communication with the management. If any time an agreement is reached with the management, the strike can be halted.

"Strike is not our goal but our means of struggle. It should not leave the impression that we just want to stage a strike. No, it is not," he remarked.

He pointed out that the workers and the management have not yet reached an agreement in a number of points regarding the sanctions to be given to workers who are considered to have violated the Joint Work Agreement/Industrial Relations Guide (PKB/PHI 2015 2017).

The workers union has demanded that all workers who had been absent from work since April 11, 2017, should not be laid off but be given sanctions, such as warning 1 until warning 3-plus, and must be paid during the period of leaving the work.

All sanctions to be given to the workers should first be discussed with the workers union so that the management would not give arbitrary sanctions.

In the meantime, the management is still firm on its stand to uphold the work disciplines for workers who left their jobs, including workers who have the potential to be laid off.

A meeting on Saturday that lasted until past midnight, facilitated by Mimika's deputy district head Yohanis Bassang, between the worker leaders and the company management ended in a disagreement.

The labor union demanded that a number of its members absent since earlier this month must be allowed to work again, but the company's management ruled out reinstating all of the workers.

The management said it would not reemploy workers who have repeatedly committed offenses despite warnings and sanctions, especially those trying to intimidate loyal workers.

Leaders of the labor union rejected the suggestion of Bassang that the workers drop the strike plan while negotiations continue on the dismissal of 50 workers, who have been absent from work since April 11.

Yopi Morin, one of the labor leaders, remarked that the 50 workers were absent as they were confused with the furlough policy of the management. Yopi argued the temporary leave of absence applied by the company since late Feb 2017 was not stated in the labor law.

However, Freeport Executives Vice Presidents Achmad Didit Ardianto and Sony Prasetyo noted they could not promise reemployment of workers who have left their work.

"Reinstating them would not be accepted by those who have been loyal to work. Loyal workers have stated their loyalty and would not work together with those showing no loyalty," Achmad remarked.

Editor: Yudho Winarto