Free bus fares in South Auckland tomorrow as Go Bus drivers protest low wages

South Aucklanders from Mangere to East Tamaki will be riding their Go Bus services to work for free tomorrow morning, as FIRST Union bus drivers opt out of collecting fares for their employer in an industrial action designed to show the wider public why bus drivers are fighting for fairer wages. Bargaining between over 110 […]

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Ambos speak out as St John is notified of further industrial action

The partial strike actions of around 1000 ambulance officers are piling up for St John as it continues to refuse to acknowledge ambulance officer’s concerns. Following an expose last night on The Project where ambulance officers could speak candidly to media thanks to the removal of a media gag as part of their industrial action, […]

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The Strike of 180 Fuel Tanker Truck Drivers Could be Avoided – Union

180 fuel tanker drivers at Pacific Fuel Haul have voted to walk off the job from December 16 for five days.  The drivers are striking to protect modest redundancy provisions and for a fair and reasonable wage increase. FIRST Union Transport, Logistics and Manufacturing Secretary Jared Abbott, says the drivers are bearing the brunt of […]

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The changes to working visas are a win for migrants and all working people

The below first appeared at Stuff.co.nz on November 30th 2018.   An important piece of employment legislation was implemented this week that has had less air time than the changes to the Employment Relations Act. It’s significant because it curbs the excesses of the very worst employers in this county; those that exploit migrant workers and […]

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Calling all Sheep Shearers and Wool Handlers

It’s great to see employers have led the way for a pay increase in the shearing industry. The New Zealand Shearing Contractors’ Association (NZSCA) represents contractors who employ sheep shearers as employees. In May 2018 they collectively voted for an increase in shearing industry rates. Disappointingly however, because there is no base award it was […]

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Changes to migrant visas good but need to cover other visas too – migrant networks and unions

New Immigration changes for international students came into effect yesterday (November 26th).  One of the major changes is that migrant workers who are currently holding an Employer Assisted Visa (a visa which binds the workers to a particular employer and to a particular location of work) will be able to apply for an open work […]

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Tensions flare between Go Bus and Council as bus lockout continues

It’s day five of the Go Bus lockout in the Waikato region. Go Bus CEO Callum Heslop has been captured on video this week, on the picket, blaming the Waikato Regional Council for the ongoing bus lockout. In a video of Mr Heslop addressing workers locked out by the operator, he is heard stating that […]

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Workers at Godfrey Hirst carpets have downed tools for the Living Wage

The New Zealand workers who make carpets for commercial and residential use at what’s touted as one of the top carpet manufacturers in the world have reached a stalemate with the company over wages and overtime. Sixty members at Godfrey Hirst carpets have fully withdrawn their labour for 48-hours (Thursday and Friday) as partial strike […]

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International transport workers unite: Go Bus must end ‘pathetic’ lockout

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is calling on the New Zealand bus company Go Bus to unconditionally end its lockout of bus drivers for exercising their right to take action to demand a living wage. The drivers had voted to stop taking fare money from passengers to show that they cannot continue to live […]

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