A group of police officers in New Caledonia has gone on strike in the capital Noumea.
The newspaper, Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes, says unions report nearly eighty officers walked off the job to take part in a stop-work protest.
The dispute centres on the promotion of an officer, of New Caledonian origin, to a higher rank, when unions say there were scores of other officers already employed at a higher level who would have been more suited to the role.
City officials say the officer was hired within the rules.
An aide to the mayor of Noumea says the New Caledonian officer was working in France and wished to return.
