Antam to use Japanese processing plant if strike continues
Monday, April 29 2002 - 07:05 AM WIB
State miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) will rent a Japanese ferronickel factory to process its nickel ore after the company's striking workers blocked the road to its own processing plant, according to an official quoted by Asia Pulse.
Around 700 of the workers of the state-owned company have staged a strike for the past five days demanding for a 300 per cent hike in wages.
"If the blockage continues the management has decided to send nickel ore to Japan for processing at a rented factory in that country," H. Ismail Tangka, a company director, w said on Saturday.
As the factory could not be used mining activities have entirely grounded to a halt over the past four days, Tangka said.
Police and the military closely guarded the assets of the company, although there have been no signs that the striking workers would resort to violence.
The company management is still seeking negotiations with the leaders of the workers. (*)