24 May 2006

New Caledonia broadcaster strike enters third month

3:22 pm on 24 May 2006

A strike at New Caledonia's public broadcaster, RFO, has entered its third month.

Members of the USTKE union have been disrupting broadcasts in a bid to win the re-instatement of a sacked technician, Rock Haocas.

He was dismissed after a court found him guilty of assaulting a cameraman during a 100-day strike at the station in 2004.

Three weeks ago, non-striking workers demonstrated outside the French high commission asking for action to ensure they could keep doing their job.

RFO has ruled out the re-hiring of Mr Haocas but an USTKE spokesman, Paul Chauvat, says the union won't accept this.

"To cool things down, maybe [he should go] to another RFO station, maybe in Tahiti or the French Antilles or back in France."