Petanque in Noumea Photo: RNZ Walter Zweifel
Public sector workers in New Caledonia are set to go on an open-ended strike in two weeks.
They have lodged a strike notice, demanding pay raises of 20 percent to cope with the high cost of living.
A union leader says although there have been two increases of 0.6 percent they have failed to keep pace with inflation.
As provincial elections are due in May, the unions want the political parties to commit to upholding the purchasing power of the public sector.
The strike notice applies to public sector workers on New Caledonia's payroll and not those of the French state.
