Thousands of Indonesian workers returned to work Sunday at Freeport-McMoran's Grasberg mine after a four-day-strike ended with a doubling of basic wages, the union said. «The mine's operation should return to normal within 48 hours,» said Frans Pigome, chairman of Tongoi Papua, the labor group at PT Freeport Indonesia, according to AP. The labor group had been in negotiations with management since Thursday over demands for higher wages, more pension benefits and better recruitment and promotion opportunities for workers at the mine in Papua province. Pigome said that as many as 16,000 workers from Freeport and related companies were protesting. Police and government officials were unable to confirm that figure. «We are satisfied,» Pigome said. «After more than 40 years operation, this the most spectacular increase. They could have increased it years ago, but they think only how to profit themselves.» Grasberg is one of the world's largest gold and copper mines but has frequently seen violent worker protests, while environmental groups complain of alleged pollution and unfair distribution of profits. Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold holds just over 90 percent of the mine, while the rest is owned by the Indonesian government. For 2006, Freeport posted profit of US$1.4 billion, or US$6.63 per share, on revenue of US$5.79 billion «PT Freeport Indonesia and Tongoi Papua have successfully concluded their discussions, which had been facilitated by the Mimika parliament,» PT Freeport spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan said in a statement late Saturday. «This decision was reached in exchange for the cessation of the strike and the agreement that the employees will return to work immediately,» the statement said. -- SPA
