PRESS RELEASE: Employee strike at PTNNT ends peacefully

Employee action at PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara which began Thursday (5/2) ended peacefully on Friday (6/2) at about 17:00 following a presentation of resolution arranged by Manpower Department and the SPSI Unions of Sumbawa and West Nusa Tenggara. The strike caused PTNNT to temporarily shutdown operations for operational safety concerns from 19:45 Thursday to 08:30 Friday morning at which time limited operations began.

PTNNT?s General Manager, Phil Brumit stated that PTNNT has agreed to the Manpower Department?s plan to recalculate salaries for all rostered employees as part of the solutions.

With the resolution and the ending of employee action, PTNNT returned to a normal operation with the morning shift of Saturday (7/2). ?We appreciate the assistance and support from Manpower Departments, SPSI and our employees in resolving this issue peacefully. With these mutual support and coordination, we hope we will continue to have a harmonious relationship and continuous operations in the future,? said Phil Brumit.

Peaceful Resolution

On Friday (6/2) a team from the Manpower Department consisting of representatives from both Sumbawa district Drs. Nurdin, Head of Industrial Relations & Labor Protection and NTB province I.P. Nababan, BE, SIP, Head of Manpower Inspector and I Made Dwipa, SH, Inspector; and a team from the SPSI Union of Sumbawa District, M. Jaffar, Chairman and NTB province, Ir. Syaiful Bahri, Vice Chairman and Drs. H. Zuilkarnaen Musa, Secretary General arrived on site. Statements were made by Manpower Department and SPSI following discussion with PTNNT?s management and SPSI boards. ?Manpower Department will calculate all work rosters at PTNNT in accordance with Manpower Law No. 13 of 2003 for 2002-2003 periods,? said Drs Nurdin, Sumbawa District Manpower Office.

?PTNNT?s rosters for 1999-2000 periods were granted Work & Rest Roster Deviation Permits from NTB Province Manpower Department. Rosters for 2001-2003 have also been granted Deviation Permits from Manpower Office of Sumbawa,? he added.

The boards of PTNNT?s SPSI Union and the Provincial & District SPSI Chapters also supported the decision made by the Manpower Department. ?We support the plan to recalculate overtime payments and we encourage our members and employees to return to work,? said the statement signed by SPSI chairmen.

?We will abide by the Manpower Department calculations on the questioned overtime payments,? said Phil Brumit when addressing about 150 employees.

As announced previously, PTNNT temporarily shut down mine and process operations due to safety concerns as result of the on-going labor action. The basis for this labor action was a demand to pay a perceived shortfall overtime rates for employees working 4 days of twelve hour shifts followed by four paid days of rest. (end of release)

For further information, please contact:
Kasan Mulyono
Manager Public Relations
Tel (370) 636318 extension # 46468
Mobile 081-757-49482
Fax (370) 636318 extension # 46049
Email: kmulyono@corp.newmont.com