Newmont?s workers end strike

Strike by hundreds of employees of copper and gold miner PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (PTNNT) has come to an end after the management and the worker's union agreed to wait for final legal decision on the payment of overtime arrears.

"We highly appreciate that the talks between management and workers union have been executed with goodwill to discontinue dispute and agree a future step to settle overtime payment,? said PTNNT's general manager of operation Darren Hall in a press release on Friday.

The mine is located in Batu Hijau, West Sumbawa regency (KSB, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province.

According to Hall, both parties are also committed to following legal process to achieve a final and binding decision on the overtime payment.

"We have resumed operation and want to express gratitude to employees still focusing on working safely and continuing operation. We also gratitude the NTB provincial government and KSB for the provided advice and advocacy,? Hall added.

The workers started the strike on Aug. 2 and initially planned to hold it through Aug. 10.

Reportedly, some 1,919 employees of the company demanded the firm pay the remainder of overtime payable in the two-years period of June 2008 to June 2010, amounting to Rp 126 billion. However, the company claims that the overtime has been paid in accordance with agreement between the company and workers.

PTNNT has been operating since 2000 and employs around 7,000 workers and contractors. (godang)