OTML industrial agreement signed

Ok Tedi Mining workers now have an avenue to voice their concerns following the signing of an industrial agreement between the OTML management, the Allied Workers Union and the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations (DLIR).

During the signing on Thursday, OTML managing director, Peter Graham, expressed satisfaction at the completion of the three-year agreement, which will be effective in January 2019.

Among other things, the agreement encompasses benefits for the workers such as housing.

OTML managing director, Peter Graham, gave the assurance that the management will respect the agreement.

“I want to make that point very clearly to the union executives – you can count on us to honour the agreement,” he said.

“It’s being negotiated in good faith and we’ll certainly make sure we honour the agreement in the spirit in which it was negotiated.”

Graham said their aim is to promote a safe and healthy work environment but beyond that, they wish to promote the Ok Tedi way of ‘Wan Team, Wan Pasin’.

“I know we all want to succeed,” said Graham. “We want to make Ok Tedi one of the leading mining companies in the world, and we’re well on the path to achieving that outcome.”

The OTML managing director said a great deal of effort has been put into coming up with business strategies.

“But at the end of the day, those strategies and plans aren’t worth a whole lot if our workforce aren’t executing the way it was intended.”

OTML Deputy CEO, Musje Werror, said the signing marked the beginning of a new relationship between OTML Management and the Ok Tedi Mining and Allied Workers Union (OTMAWU), who represent the majority of the workforce.

He acknowledged the OTML MD and CEO, Graham, for his unrelenting focus and commitment to make OTML a safe and strong company that will generate benefits for its shareholders and stakeholders, which includes the workforce, for many years to come.

He said the first consolidated Award Agreement was signed in 2005, followed by subsequent Agreements in 2000, 2005 and 2010. The Agreement signed on Thursday 09th of August 2018 supersedes the 2010 Industrial Agreement and will be effective from 1st of January 2019 for a term of three years.

Werror said the negotiations commenced on Wednesday 25th of July and concluded on Wednesday 1st of August.

Meantime, the members of both teams were commended for the way in which negotiations were conducted.

Author: 
Carmella Gware