Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
should be paid to offering employment opportunities equally to households (or in some
circumstances, to allocate an equal number of employment slots). However, specii c skill
requirements often mean that this ideal cannot be achieved.
In the operations phase, a smaller, highly skilled labour force is required. Many of the
operating positions do not require advanced educational qualii cations; rather they require
training specii c to the tasks involved. Priority for such positions is usually given to mem-
bers from affected communities who possess the necessary aptitudes required to be trained
for these jobs. Opportunities exist for both men and women from local communities to be
trained in equipment operation, maintenance, HSE, administration, or security.
It is best to inform communities accurately and thoroughly of company recruitment
plans as soon as possible. Relevant information on position descriptions and criteria per-
taining to recruitment for all positions should be made public. The selection of potential
recruits may be coordinated with community leaders, or with the Community Board, if
established. Wages need to be carefully structured to rel ect local practices.
Consideration needs to be given to two issues. Firstly, because the mining project may
create local employee dependence, CD programmes should focus on sustainable voca-
tional and trade programmes that can be maintained after the project ceases operation.
Secondly, project employment, while in most respects highly desirable, will change family
lives. Mine workers may i nd less time to fuli l traditional support roles for their families,
shifting more responsibility and work to their partners. Whether or not this is important
needs to be addressed in the planning process. Some mining companies, for example PT
Newmont Nusa Tenggara at its Batu Hijau operation, actually employ mine workers on
a reduced (4-day) work week. While this requires that the company trains more people, it
has major community benei ts, as it enables a larger pool of workers to be employed, and
it enables workers, most of whom are subsistence farmers, to continue farming.
CD programmes may be established to help potential entrepreneurs from local com-
munities develop entrepreneurial skills, choose and develop sustainable businesses, and
improve their access to credit and markets so they can take advantage of the emerging
opportunities associated with mine development. For example, the supply of fresh pro-
duce to the caterers serving construction and operations presents considerable opportunity
for small-scale income generating projects. Supplies of meat, i sh, fruit, and vegetables
available locally are likely to i nd ready markets while a large construction workforce is
on site. Successfully exploiting this market opportunity is only possible if local producers
can organize their operations prior to start of construction. Therefore estimates of require-
ments should be made public well in advance, allowing sufi cient time for local farmers
to plan crops or invest in livestock. Contractors should be required to purchase locally,
wherever possible. The huge increase in demand should provide opportunities even for
marginal producers who meet minimum quality standards. By the end of the construction
phase, when the mine workforce is reduced, the unreliable suppliers or those with unac-
ceptable quality would have been identii ed. Those with good quality and reliable supplies
should be readily able to meet the requirements of the smaller operational work force.
In most cases, the number of operations stage employment opportunities will be much less
than the number of people seeking employment. Since the traditional economy is often based
on natural resources, the implementation of long-term income-generating projects based on
this are preferred for those unable to i nd project employment. Some programmes will gen-
erate income through increasing productivity through the introduction of new techniques,
or through traditional methods, such as the use of fertilizers or superior seed strains.
As a cautionary measure, the price and production of fresh produce and staples of local
communities should be monitored. An increase in price due to shortages may under-
mine the goals of any income-generating programme as the additional income from these
Wages need to be carefully
structured to refl ect local
practices.
In most cases, the number of
operations stage employment
opportunities will be much less
than the number of people
seeking employment.
 
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