An array of factors structured Chinese nickel plants’ operational troubles in Indonesia, possibly leading to delayed payments, decreased safety standards, among other issues.

PT IMIP

As Ramadan approaches, organized and spontaneous protests erupted in different parts of Indonesia. At Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), Indonesia’s largest nickel processing industrial park located in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, trade unions and civil society groups have staged multiple protests and rallies throughout February.

A few days later, on February 22, hundreds of migrant Chinese workers gathered to demand unpaid wages from PT QMB New Energy Materials (PT QMB), a facility in IMIP. The affected workers were primarily construction workers employed by Jiulong Labor Service, an outsourcing unit contracted by PT QMB.

PT GNI

PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (PT GNI), a US$3 billion nickel processing company operating in North Morowali, Central Sulawesi, faces potential shutdown, risking the livelihood of over 10,000 Indonesian workers and over 1,000 foreign workers it employs.

PT VDNI

Located in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi near PT IMIP, PT Virtue Dragon Nickel Industry (VDNI), also faced increased protests gathered around the facility in recent weeks. Protesters, organized by different trade unions and civil society groups, rallied near the plants on different dates. They are nonetheless united by shared demands: They called for VDNI to also improve health and safety standards and increase wage standards. 

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited PT QMB to respond to issues related to IMIP, the company's response can be found below.

Previous non-responses from Jiangsu Delong (which owns PT VDNI) can be found here.