Despite calls from the North Fly MP to investigate the sacking of more than 100 Ok Tedi Mining Limited employees, Mining Minister Johnson Tuke says he will not intervene with administrative issues.
He said the sacking of these workers is a management issue.
“I understand that it is grievances displayed by employees. They have a channel to go through,” stated Tuke.
Minister Tuke says Ok Tedi Mining Limited has set guidelines and regulations on how to deal with issues that arise and both parties have to be guided by those processes.
Meanwhile, OTML says it will not make any comments or statements on the matter.
North Fly MP, James Donald, recently called on Tuke to immediately intervene and direct investigations into the sacking of a group of Ok Tedi Mine employees in Western Province.
His call comes after the company management terminated more than 100 of its employees last Tuesday for staging a protest against the company.
OTML said their industrial action was illegal as it did not follow the grievance process and was not supported by the union.
They were served with termination letters on the evening of that same day (Tuesday) to leave.
Donald said sacking of employees in that manner and in such big numbers was concerning as it was signalling something worse to come.