Newmont workers agree to end strike

Workers of PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) have agreed to end the strike after reaching a deal on overtime payment with the management of the copper and gold mining company, Investor Daily reported on Monday.

PT NNT spokesman Rubi Purnomo told the daily that on Saturday the management and the workers had settled the difference on the calculation of the overtime payment (roster) on Friday night. He said with the new agreement the workers agreed to end the strike and will go back to work at the company?s Batu Hijau copper and gold mine in West Nusa Tenggara province.

Rubi said that the deal with the workers could be achieved with the help of representatives of the local government.

At least 400 workers of the mining company began their strike on Tuesday, last week demanding the company to pay their overtime payment which they said had been delayed since June last year. The workers claimed that the unpaid overtime payment for the company?s 1,919 workers had reached Rp 126 billion (US$13.98 million).

Rubi said on Wednesday that output had been unaffected by the strike. Batu Hijau, Indonesia's second-biggest copper mine, aims to produce around 275 million pounds of copper and 275,000 ounces of gold in 2011. (*)