Jayapura, Jubi – On May Day this year, May 1, 2023, former workers of PT Freeport Indonesia demanded President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to keep his promise to resolve disputes related to the unilateral layoffs of 8,300 Freeport workers who went on strike in 2017. Until now, the workers have not been receiving their rights.
“President Jokowi received us on February 13, 2019, and he promised to bring the parties together to find the best solution,” one of the striking workers, Lukas Rumpaidus, told reporters in Jayapura City on Sunday, April 30, 2023.
Rumpaidus said the dispute had entered its sixth year but the president’s promise had yet to be realized. “The President keeps coming to Freeport but our problems have not been addressed,” he said.
Rumpaidus said the workers were constantly fighting for their rights. He hopes that the Indonesian Government, the Mimika Regency Government and the Central Papua Provincial Government will pay attention to their struggles.
Director of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) Emanuel Gobay as the legal representative of the laid off workers said that the strike in 2017 was legitimate but the Freeport management terminated workers for striking reasons.
Gobay cited several court decisions that showed judges consideration on cases similar to the Freeport workers’ strike. “On that basis, we conclude that the strike by 8,300 Freeport workers was valid. Strikes like these are recognized by the Supreme Court,” Gobay said.
Gobay also said that in 2018, the Papua Manpower Office had declared the strike of 8,300 Freepoort workers valid. Also in 2018, then governor Lukas Enembe issued a letter confirming that the strike was legal. The letter also ordered Freeport to rehire the laid off workers and pay their wages during the layoff.
Gobay saw no seriousness from the Indonesian government to resolve the Freeport layoffs. Gobay asked the President and Vice President to open a negotiation between Freeport and the laid off workers.
Head of Strike of Jayapura Region Anton Awom said the layoff had adversely affected workers, they lost their jobs, family allowances, and could not afford to pay health insurance. In fact, Awom said, to date 115 workers have died of poverty.
“To this day we continue to fight. The problem was a long time ago and many of us have died but those are the more reasons to fight. At the very least, we have rights that have not been paid by the company and must be paid immediately,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rutce Selviani Bosawer of the Cenderawasih University’s Amnesty Campaign and Media Division said her party urged Freeport to fulfill the rights of the 8,300 striking workers. She said Freeport must also take responsibility for the deaths of 115 striking workers.
“The Indonesian government should immediately conduct a memorandum of understanding between the management of PT Freeport Indonesia and the 8,300 striking workers,” Bosawer said in a press statement received by Jubi on Sunday night. (*)
