Local job seekers protest Newmont operation in Sumbawa

Tens of job seekers, over the weekend, protested the United States-based Newmont's mining operation in Sekongkang district in the Sumbawa regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province for the company's reluctance to hire them, Bali Post reported on Monday.

The residents started their protests on Friday when they blocked the main road leading to the company's copper and gold mining site in the regency. The protesters accused the company of breaching its promise to employ them.

According to the daily, the protesters, mostly former employees of the company's subcontractor, sat on the road to block the company's vehicles from entering the mining sites. The job seekers said that the company had promised to hire them but after waiting for a long time, the promise was never given.

The job seekers said most of them had joined a training program but had not been given the opportunity to work in the company. "They became more upset when they saw many outsiders were accepted to work in the company without any difficulties," one resident said.

The protested ended on Saturday after the police and the local government officials asked them to hold a peaceful dialogue with the company's executives. During the negotiations, the company pledged to employ them according to the company's capacity.

In its press statement, the company expressed its regret over the job seekers' action to block the road. The company's senior for external relations Robert Humberson said the workers action was against the law but he said that the company always opened its door to the job seekers to negotiate their problem. (*)