Transcript
The government's plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 was met by demonstrations and strikes, with Angelo Frebault fronting the union umbrella group as its spokesman.
He has told local radio that people should vote against the ruling Tapura Huiraatira Party.
"My position against the Tapura is for the simple reason that before the planned law was withdrawn, it was not possible to vote for the party which wanted the reform. The party is holding it back now but will resubmit it if re-elected."
The Tahoeraa is the only party openly opposing a higher retirement age which the government says is necessary if the pension system is to survive.
Others wanting to scrap the reform say common people are being ignored, citing the lack of response by the pro-independence opposition in the assembly to the thousands who joined a general strike two weeks ago.
Two such dissidents are Heia Parau and Vetea Heller who said they were shocked at their politicians' indifference, saying they were in an ivory tower and doing nothing for the poor.
In an unprecedented scene two weeks ago, dozens of striking demonstrators pushed their way into the assembly's debating chamber, bringing proceedings to a halt.
In subsequent negotiations, the government backed down and the reform package was withdrawn from the agenda.
The assembly president Marcel Tuihani told the public broadcaster the invasion of the assembly is intolerable.
"One cannot accept what happened. I recognise the right to make demands and to demonstrate, but to force - in this way - and to use more than pressure inside the chamber is intolerable."
Nobody has been charged yet over the incident.
However, in tirn the union movement has threatened to lodge a police complaint itself, saying it objected to a public space being closed to the people who were treated as they were terrorists.
For the president Edouard Fritch, behind the commotion there is more than just a union-led movement.
And Mr Frebault's decision to align himself with the Tahoeraa Huiraatira has fulled speculation that there has been a link to the election campaign.
After his own party's weekend Congress, Mr Fritch insists that the matter is dramatic.
"I tackled the urgency because in two years we won't be able to pay our pensioners any more. That is after all dramatic. We will deal with the matter again after the election and hope by July we can submit a new draft law."
The election is a month away and lists have to be finalised shortly.
There is no indication though how well the aspiring politicians emanating from the radicalised union movement will do.
