Ok Tedi eyes safety and good health as it signs work agreement

A THREE-year industrial award agreement was signed between Ok Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML), Ok Tedi Mining and Allied Workers Union (OTMAWU) and Department of Labour and Industrial Relations (DLIR) in Port Moresby last Thursday.
OTML managing-director and CEO Peter Graham said the management would respect the agreement with OTMAWU.
“We (OTML management) will provide a safe and healthy work environment and promote culture of ‘One Team, Wan Pasin’,” he said.
“We need everyone aligned if we are to be successful.
“We need an open, honest, respectful and collaborative culture.
“My expectation in return is that the workforce will give their best performance every day – that the workforce commits to working with management to make OTML a high-performance organisation.
“This agreement is critical to the future success of Ok Tedi.
“We have sound strategies and plans that demonstrate Ok Tedi is potentially a very-valuable company, but ultimately these plans are delivered by the employees.”
Graham said the agreement provided a sound basis for achieving the company’s potential.
OTMAWU President Robert Pengim thanked OTML, saying the signing of the industrial agreement signified the consolidation of a true partnership between the union and OTML management.
“The union acknowledges the difficult time and the challenges that the mine is faced with in the near term to secure the future of the mine,” he said.
“We are grateful for the significant concessions that the management has made to further improve benefits for employees.
“The union is committed to working closely with OTML management team.
“We will ensure our members continue to remain focused and committed to achieve the company targets,” he said.
“I believe the platform created by this industrial agreement has paved the way in anticipation of what the future will be for OTML and its workforce in the next three years.
“It marks the beginning of what we hope will be a long and fruitful collaboration.
“It will increase mutual understanding between the union, management and the workforce.”
OTML deputy CEO Musje Werror said the signing marked the beginning of a new relationship between OTML management and the OTMAWU which represents a majority of the workforce.
He acknowledged Graham for his unrelenting focus and commitment to make OTML a safe and strong company that would 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 last supersedes the 2010 industrial agreement and will be effective from Jan 1 2019 for a term of three years.