29 May 2006

New Caledonian unionists say they might lift port blockade

7:04 pm on 29 May 2006

New Caledonian Union of Kanak and Exploited Workers, USTKE, says they might clear the blockade for local shipping companies, but will continue their action against an international freight company.

The union has barricaded the main port in Noumea for ten days.

A USTKE spokesperson, Pierre Chauvat, says the International Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC, is minimising local business.

Mr Chauvat says negotiations with MSC are under way, but the union may decide to lift the blockade for local freight companies to enable them to go back to business.

"We might just decide to block MSC only and let the others to work, all the other shipments and all the other doc workers. But at this time we haven't decided yet."

Mr Chauvat says they don't want MSC to deal with more than one hundred containers a week.