A strike has been launched at two mining sites of the nickel company SLN in New Caledonia.
SLN smelter in Noumea Photo: RNZ Walter Zweifel
The public broadcaster reports that work stopped in the early hours of today at SLN's sites in Thio and Tiebaghi.
The action by two unions is to oppose changes to the working hours as part of a restructure of the company, which is running at a loss.
The report quotes a union leader as saying leave entitlements have gone and that the working day has been extended to ten and a half hours.
SLN suffered setbacks at its Kouaoua site last year when a blockade closed it and interrupted ore supplies to its smelter in Noumea.