In the most industrial country in Oceania, labour unions are quite strong and active, and at times their strikes become militant and political, pushing politicians to complain or listen, for example, on the issue of favoring local hiring that was inscribed in both the Noumea Accord and the organic laws that followed (nc, 18 Oct 2007). Faced with rising living costs, they also want their share of the proceeds from economic development, so the minimum monthly wage was raised in January to 120,000 Pacific francs, or about us$1,200 (nc, 8 Jan 2007). Mining unions noted the rising price of nickel and demanded a corresponding increase in wages, and those in various support or service sectors felt likewise. But social dialogue between workers and employers has all too often not gone smoothly in New Caledonia, leading to roadblocks with burning tires and work stoppages without enough action by the State, positive or negative (nc, 4 Sep, 2 Oct, 9 Oct 2007). France too has its powerful labor unions who strike militantly, but in late 2007 Sarkozy battled transporters over pension reforms, while a thousand people marched in Noumea against “terrorism” by local unions (BBC News, 13 Nov 2007; nc, 12 Nov 2007). For example, USTKE, which Estrosi had criticized, blocked the local cement industry and urban bus company for months—along with other strikes to support favoring local hiring and protecting workers fired for union activities—and in October USTKE called a general strike because the police had intervened (nc, 13 Oct 2007). After testing the waters in the presidential and legislative elections by backing Bove and then its own candidates, respectively, USTKE defied appeals by the FLNKS not to divide the Kanak vote and formed its own Labor Party in November, with support from metropolitan Trotskyists, dedicating itself to independence, anti-globalization, and revolutionary socialism (nc, 16 Nov 2007). It remained one of the two largest unions, as labor leaders compete for membership using dramatic strikes to attract support (nc, 12 April 2007). From David Chappell, “Political review: New Caledonia”, The Contemporary Pacific 12.2 (2000) 515-520.
After a decade, in 2007, USTKE started a new series of Combat Ouvrier, again as a monthly, renumbering from No.1. No.8, Feb 2008, up to No.27, Nov 2010, are available on the web at: http://ustke.org/pdf.html.
Combat Ouvrier, Nos.1-43, 45-49, 51-54, 1992-2001, published monthly.
See Finding aids for details.
