Cairn makes strike in Sri Lanka

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
3 October 2011 Last updated at 08:42 GMT The discovery of natural gas is the first in Sri Lanka for decades Edinburgh explorer Cairn Energy has made its first gas strike in Sri Lanka through its Indian subsidiary.

The offshore well was the first to be drilled in the country for 30 years.

Cairn India made the discovery after drilling almost a mile down offshore in the Mannar Basin, Sri Lanka.

Simon Thomson, chief executive, Cairn Energy said: "Cairn is delighted with this frontier exploration discovery, the first well in Cairn India's three well drilling programme in Sri Lanka."

Cairn Energy is in the process of selling off 30% of its 52% stake in Cairn India to the Vedanta Resources and recently won shareholder and Indian government approval for the deal.

The company's focus has moved to Greenland since it announced it was reducing its stake in its Indian unit.

However, it has had a number of disappointments after turning up several dry wells.

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BBC Wales workers' one-day strike

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
30 September 2011 Last updated at 06:10 GMT Bectu is protesting against the loss of four BBC Wales editing jobs BBC Wales workers from the broadcasting union Bectu are staging a one-day strike on Friday.

The union is protesting against the loss of four editing jobs in the BBC's post-production news area.

"Every request made that our members be redeployed in new roles being created in the area of their expertise was refused," said a Bectu statement.

BBC Wales said it was disappointed about the strike and apologised for any disruption to services it might cause.

In a statement the broadcaster said it had a record of successfully redeploying as many staff as possible.

In July, members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) at BBC Wales took part in UK-wide industrial action protesting at compulsory redundancies due to cutbacks in funding.

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Cairn makes strike in Sri Lanka

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
3 October 2011 Last updated at 08:42 GMT The discovery of natural gas is the first in Sri Lanka for decades Edinburgh explorer Cairn Energy has made its first gas strike in Sri Lanka through its Indian subsidiary.

The offshore well was the first to be drilled in the country for 30 years.

Cairn India made the discovery after drilling almost a mile down offshore in the Mannar Basin, Sri Lanka.

Simon Thomson, chief executive, Cairn Energy said: "Cairn is delighted with this frontier exploration discovery, the first well in Cairn India's three well drilling programme in Sri Lanka."

Cairn Energy is in the process of selling off 30% of its 52% stake in Cairn India to the Vedanta Resources and recently won shareholder and Indian government approval for the deal.

The company's focus has moved to Greenland since it announced it was reducing its stake in its Indian unit.

However, it has had a number of disappointments after turning up several dry wells.

View the original article here

Strike 'paralyses' Freeport mine

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
15 September 2011 Last updated at 08:42 GMT Union leaders say production has been "completely paralysed" at the Grasberg mine Thousands of workers are staging a month-long strike at one of the world's largest gold and copper mines in the remote Indonesian province of Papua.

Union leaders said production had been paralysed at the Grasberg mine, which is run by US firm Freeport-McMoran.

The workers want at least a five-fold increase in their current salary of about $3 (￡1.90) an hour.

Analysts say a previous stoppage in July was a factor in raising copper prices around the world.

That strike, which lasted eight days, led to negotiations, but the union says the pay rise being offered - a reported 22% increase within two years - is not enough.

Fair solution

"There is no activity at the mill, the underground mine, the open pit mine except for maintenance. Mining activities have been completely paralysed. This goes for the port as well," union spokesman Juli Parorrongan was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The workers want a salary increase to globally competitive levels of between $17.50 and $43 an hour, he said.

Freeport Indonesia said it was "disappointed" by the workers' decision to strike, and a spokesman said the company hoped to continue talks to try to find a fair and appropriate solution.

The strike comes a day after a walk-out by workers at Freeport's Peru copper mine over better pay and benefits.

Rights groups have often accused Freeport of stripping Papua of its rich natural resources without returning anything to the local community.

But the company maintains that it is one of the largest employers in Papua, and without the jobs the Grasberg mine provides, many Papuans would be far worse off.

The mine has been the focal point of violent protests in the past.

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