Employees Ask U.S. $ 4/Jam, Freeport Only Able to U.S. $ 3.09 / Hour

Nusa Dua - To this day there is no agreement between Freeport and its employees about salary. The government hopes that this issue be resolved so that the Freeport gold mine back to normal operation.

This was stated by Minister Jero Wacik when met at the Westin Hotel, Nusa Dua, Jakarta, Wednesday (11/16/2011).

"Employees are asked initially U.S. $ 35/hr now it is up to U.S. $ 4/jam demands of employees. From the Freeport management is also gone up from U.S. $ 2.1 / h to U.S. $ 3.09 / hour," he said.

Jero said it and Manpower has helped to mediate between Freeport with employees about salary. The government hopes the Freeport gold mine back in operation as quickly as possible.

"The loss is the company's revenue per day do not get about 8 million U.S. $ per day," he explained.

The union has extended the action of breakdowns in Freeport until December 15, 2011. But the extra time it may be discontinued if management can meet their demands.

As is known began July 4, 2011 Freeport employees strike has been going on related charges based on the dollars they raise. The strike ended on July 11, 2011 because there was an agreement between management and unions.

Then on July 20, 2011 occurred early negotiation efforts Labour Agreement (CLA) for the period 2011-2013. Then again strike lasted 15 September 2011.

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The U.S. Treasury Secretary says Europe is progressing despite the challenges

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that despite the “terribly difficult challenges” facing Europe, European leaders to halt the progress of the debt crisis.

Geithner insisted that the necessary measures “are among the possibilities” of Europe, but recognized that there must move faster and with more momentum.

The European challenge is to achieve a balance between “the reforms needed to boost growth and solve the fiscal problems of funding,” he told a conference organized by the business newspaper The Wall Street Journal in Washington.

Especially important, according to the U.S. Treasury secretary, to get “affordable financing rates” in those countries that are threatened by a rising borrowing costs such as Italy and Spain.

The statements of U.S. Treasury chief occur on the same day that several peripheral European countries such as France, Belgium and Austria, saw their risk premium also shot up to levels unknown in the era of the euro, pressured by markets .

The debt crisis in Europe has become a crisis of confidence without the recent changes of government in Italy and Greece, or the prospect of general elections on Sunday in Spain, have managed to calm the markets.

However, Geithner reiterated his confidence that Europe will leave the complicated situation in which it is located.

“The challenges are terribly complicated, but are within the scope and ability of Europe. They must find a political solution that the curves fall before the market,” he said.

Geithner said the solution is to use economic instruments and institutions, national governments, the European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) of “joint and coordinated manner.”

Although stressed, the “primary role is for national governments.”

United States notes with concern the financial crisis in Europe and Geithner has been recognized in more than one occasion that the weak U.S. economic recovery has been “significantly affected” by the financial turmoil across the Atlantic Ocean.

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