10 Oct 2006

New Caledonia nickel company says it won't meet union demand to sack its foreign workers

7:36 pm on 10 October 2006

New Caledonia's Goro Nickel company has defended its personnel policy in the face of demands by the CSTNC union for all foreigners employed at the Goro plant to leave the territory.

The union has been on strike for more than two weeks demanding that hundreds of Filipino workers leave, the territorial government resign and prices be lowered.

The demands have been rejected and Goro Nickel says there is a shortage of qualified workers locally which makes it necessary to rely on staff from abroad.

Talks have been held between Goro and CSTNC on the subject without there being a breakthrough.

The SLN nickel company's operations have been crippled by union action although SLN employs no Filipinos.