The four main themes of the congress were; the social struggle, the mining projects, the protection of local employment and the political alternative. On the second night of the congress an international meeting was held where representatives of unions from across the French-speaking world talked about the need for global solidarity and struggle against neo-liberalism and globalisation.

One of the major problems facing Kanaky workers is the mass immigration of French people to New Caledonia, who are monopolizing many of the jobs and marginalizing the opportunities for young Kanaky people and locking them out of many of the professional jobs available in New Caledonia. Another problem for indigenous employment has been the immigration of Wallis Islanders who are used by employers to undermine conditions for Kanaky workers. During the congress, a Wallis Islander member of USTKE made a speech about how he is creating awareness in his community about the struggle of Kanaky and of his pride in being able to join the USTKE in their struggle against colonialism and capitalism. The racism of the state towards Kanaky is compounded by the colonial system, where 80% of the people in jail are Kanaky, although they only make up 40% of the population and 6% of the people working in Customs.

The USTKE also talked about the social issues affecting workers in New Caledonia. The main issues are the housing shortages, healthcare shortfalls and the continuing decline in wages. Most are angry that while nickel corporations drain millions of dollars from the country each year local social provisions are often under funded. Members talked about how they felt ripped off that the New Caledonian government will have to borrow money to fund the cost of a long overdue new hospital but corporations like Goro Nickel make millions of dollars from the country each year. Another problem addressed in the congress by delegates from the North province and the outlying islands was the closing of local medical clinics by the health system which in order to cut the costs of the health system. The results are that the USTKE has to struggle for increased healthcare outside of the cities, where Kanaky face bad healthcare because of the closure of the local clinics.

In the mining debate the USTKE members considered the recent struggle of the USTKE against a new mine by Goro Nickel that was ordered to stop construction by a court but continued I violation of the court order. The issue for the USTKE is to develop a program that will allow it to keep more of the mining revenue in the country and develop decent standards of environmental protection. Although there have been improvements many in the USTKE want the mines nationalized under control of the people of the Kanaky. The current situation is that 70% of the revenues go overseas and 30% stays in New Caledonia. Previously it had been much worse with only 5% of the revenue staying in the country. Only one of the Nickel mines on the island is locally owned, the rest owned by SLN, a French corporation and Goro Nickel, a Canadian owned corporation.

In all of the discussions and debates one of the major conclusions was that the present independence movement had been co-opted by the state and that a new movement must push for increasing decolonisation for Kanaky. The delegates at the conference talked about how the Kanaky independence leaders now run the provinces like businesses without regard to the aspirations of Kanaky people and workers. The feeling at the conference was that the independence movement must be pushed forward and solidarity must be built with workers across the world and also in the Pacific to continue the struggle against the French colonialism and neo-liberal globalisation. The USTKE in response to the now co-opted leadership of the independence movement has decided to contest local elections in the future.

On the second night of the Congress, an international meeting was held. A range of speakers spoke about the continued struggle for socialism and decolonisation across the world. Sophie Arouet, from the CSA, a union that represents the journalists in the RFO, which is the main media operating in the French colonies, spoke of her background as an Algerian growing up in France and the racism that Algerians in France suffer. She spoke about how the union operated in a way in which when there were problems in the overseas territories the union would have to take the disputes to the RFO head office in France. Bernard from the French League of Communist Revolutionaries, talked of how the LCR were the first political organisation in France to organize in support of Kanak independence and related that the USTKE is now the only organisation openly for Kanak independence and because of this he thought it a good idea for the USTKE to engage in a political struggle while not compromising the industrial struggle.

Jean Michael Au Pont from the Guyana Workers Union, a union in the French colony of French Guyana, on the Atlantic coast of South America, described how is union was in the same position as USTKE. Both unions are struggling against a country that dominates it from far away so that it can control its natural resources. Jean Michael talked about how in Guyana, France is trying it’s best to break the independence movement and is allowing greater numbers of immigrants into Guyana to outnumber the local population just the same as it is doing in New Caledonia. He also urged the USTKE to join their fight with the people of Guinea and to take their struggle to an international level where they can put France in an embarrassing situation. “The first thing is to exist, the second thing is the way to exist”, concluded Jean Michael in reference to the struggle of Simon Bolivar against colonisation, the same the struggle the people and workers of Guyana are continuing today.

Patrick Dore of the Union of Martinique Workers described the feeling of isolation that workers in the French possession of Martinique have because they have no strong ties with other anti-colonial movements against France. Patrick also talked of how Martinique workers are also being marginalised in local employment by immigration from France. Patrick told the USTKE militants of how union are weak and unable to defeat colonialism by themselves, but knowing that other unions are fighting the same struggle encouraged him.

Jean Luc Morucci from the STC union from Corsica talked of how he will stand trial soon because he let a ferry drift off into the Mediterranean by cutting it’s connection to the port in protest at the privatisation of Corsica’s ferries. Jean Luc has now been charged under new anti-terror legislation. However the union is continuing its struggle against the sale of Corsica’s infrastructure to US superannuation funds and the increasing invasion of the country by powerful trans-national corporations. Roland Terorotua and Hiro Tefaarere, the representatives of Tahiti’s largest workers union, started their presentation by bowing to the dead of Ouvea island, where many Kanaky were killed during the armed struggle against France, and told the congress of the continuing struggle against colonisation in French Polynesia. They described how the politicians who said they would represent them have sold out workers in Tahiti and tell the unions not to campaign for more than they already have.

Jose Bove, from the Confederation Paysanne, and something of a celebrity in New Caledonia, because of his long involvement in the anti-colonial struggle, spoke about the new tide of rebellion in Latin America and of how the victory of Evo Morales heralds a new turn for the health of Bolivia. Bove, an anti-globalisation activist in France has been involved in the Kanaky struggle since the 1970s when there were many Kanak students involved in the anti-militarism occupation of land in the Larzac plains in protest at the use of the land for a military base. Bove, told the congress that he thought that France will not give away independence to any of its colonies and it was up to them all to continue the struggle for decolonisation.

Pierre Chauvat of the USTKE told me frankly that they want a Kanak Chavez or a Kanak Morales who will be able to take the struggle against colonialism both new and old into the new millennium. The USTKE preparing for a long struggle both industrially and politically even though they are told to keep out of politics by many of the ruling elite. They are also training their young militants for the new struggle so that they can continue the fight against colonisation. Pierre Chauvat is adamant that rebuilding a network of struggle across the Pacific is a high priority and building links with activists and unions in Australia and Aotearoa is important to cement the bonds of solidarity and struggle needed to free Kanaky from the iron grip of colonisation.