This is purely an industrial relations case. There are demands made by fellow workers through the trade unions there, which have not been followed up properly, hence a strike which took place, leading to anarchy.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah will ask Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor to fly to PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI) in North Morowali district, Central Sulawesi, to oversee the agreement between its management and employees.

"The supervisor will go, and tomorrow, I will also ask the Deputy Minister to go to the location on Thursday, follow up on the results of the meeting with the management of PT GNI. We just have to oversee how the agreement has been built," she informed at the Presidential Palace here on Tuesday.

Minister Fauziyah said that she received reports from personnel on location, saying that currently, conditions at PT GNI are very conducive.

President Joko Widodo had tasked National Police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo with resolving the issue, she noted.

Fauziyah said that the police chief had announced the party that was responsible for the incident. As for the ministry, all that remains to be done is to see that the agreement is done in accordance with the plan.

The minister said that the case served as a lesson on ensuring that foreign workers can work alongside local workers.

She also highlighted that the clash that transpired was purely due to industrial relations.

"This is purely an industrial relations case. There are demands made by fellow workers through the trade unions there, which have not been followed up properly, hence a strike which took place, leading to anarchy," she elaborated.

The key to a harmonious working relationship between the management and workers is effective bipartite dialogue, she said.

"The involvement of other parties is possible after (failure) to conduct a bipartite dialogue. Everywhere, I always stress that harmonious industrial relations must be pursued through dialogue," she added.

The clash took place after a demonstration at PT GNI Morowali Utara's nickel smelter on January 14, 2023. The incident claimed the lives of a foreign worker and a local worker.

On Monday, the National Police chief informed that the police had arrested at least 71 people and named 17 suspects in connection with the case.

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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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