Freeport-Rio Tinto workers in West Papua claim they are paid only US$1.5 an hour, while other Freeport workers around the world receive at least ten times this amount.
Two weeks ago, 8,000 of them went on strike at the Grasberg mine, the world’s biggest single source of mined gold and one of its leading copper producers.
See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11038.
Workers started returning to work Wednesday. Union chief Sudiro, who goes by only one name, said the decision was made after Freeport-McMoRan’s management agreed to reinstate six fired labour leaders and reopen negotiations about wages and benefits on July 20.
[The Grasberg mine is operated by the Indonesian subsidiary of US company Freeport-McMoRan but mine expansion was heavily financed by London-based Rio Tinto, which takes a large share of the copper-gold mine’s profits.]
See http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jviJaSwIHhZCyTX5pOV7U-ZtPzyg?docId=7963ffae686d4a9a8093966d86ef7e91.