Pacific

Teachers union boss refuses to sign French Polynesian strike settlement

15:01 pm on 27 November 2008

The head of French Polynesia's teachers union, Marc Ploton, has refused to join other public sector union leaders in signing an accord to end their two-week strike.

The strike was called ahead of a French senate vote to downgrade future pensions of public servants retiring outside mainland France.

Despite the senate decision, the unions maintained blockades but after further meetings with French officials, most agreed to the terms set out by France.

This means that the street outside the French high commission in Papeete is no longer blocked.

Meanwhile, the news agency Tahitipresse says one of French Polynesia's members of the French senate, Gaston Flosse, is to meet opposition Socialist members in a bid to get their support to review the reform affecting the overseas territories.