Jail threat upsets New Caledonian union
Last Updated: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:53:00 +1000
The union representing Kanak workers in New Caledonia, the USTKE, says it is concerned that its president will be jailed over his involvement in a massive protest at the capital's domestic airport.
Gerard Jodar and 27 others are due in court on Tuesday on charges of having illegally boarded an Air Caledonie airplane and preventing it from taking off last month.
The incident stemmed from a long running dispute over a dismissed Kanak employee.
Mr Jodar and two of the accused have already been handed down prison sentences in the past, over a separate dispute with the transport company Carsud and spent several days in detention following the airport protest.
The USTKE's spokesman, Joseph Boanemoa, says they've been forced to consider the possibility that Mr Jodar will be jailed again.
"I think we are prepared for that and last time when our president was in jail for two days, we proved that the other leaders of our union can supervise all the union."
