Farmers retail staff step-up action over unfair performance pay

The unfair performance pay system at Farmers Department Store has led to employees who are members of FIRST Union taking industrial action across the country. The actions began last week with workers defying the company uniform policy by wearing stickers that read F for Farmers, some workers have gone so far as to walk off […]

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Domestic violence leave a great relief

FIRST Union welcomes new law that better protects those affected by domestic violence. The Domestic Violence – Victims Protection Bill allows those experiencing violence in their lives to up to ten days paid domestic violence leave per year to be able to better deal with the effects of domestic violence. FIRST Union Central Regional Secretary, […]

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Sixty Alec Baldwin wielding workers take to the streets

UPDATE: A sea of 60 call-centre workers will stride through Britomart, downtown Auckland City today in their fight to share awareness of their pay and work conditions. It became evident at a strike earlier this month that the company is more concerned over picketers’ use of an Alec Baldwin cut out than the way staff […]

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OIA shows proposed temporary work visa changes must include more open visas

An OIA and a survey conducted by Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG) and the Indian Workers Association (IWA) shows the proposed immigration changes need to allow all temporary work visa holders to become more open work visas if we are to reduce the exploitation of migrant workers in New Zealand and to lift wages for […]

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Employment Authority to ‘fix’ terms in workers’ collective contract

The Employment Authority has ruled in favour of Mitre 10 workers, the company must include pay scale in its collective. It’s the first time the authority has used the fixing law to determine terms in a collective agreement that the employer must abide by. A historic and significant, industry-setting decision has been made by the […]

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FPAs move to close inequality gap & Workers voice support for FPAs

Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) will set out minimum terms and conditions of employment that will cover all workers within entire industries. The working group tasked with debating exactly what this would look like has just released its report of recommendations to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway. FIRST Union General Secretary Dennis […]

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Dirty politics being used to spread misinformation on FPAs

Following the release of leaked documents from the Fair Pay Agreement work-group, FIRST Union General Secretary Dennis Maga says he is hugely disappointed that what is supposed to be a collaborative effort between business and working people is being undermined by dirty politics. “It’s hugely disappointing. On the one hand we have working people’s share […]

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Uniform Protest Begins for St John Ambulance Professionals

From tomorrow, over one-thousand St John Ambulance Professionals will be taking an unusual form of strike action; they will be swapping out their regular St John uniforms for mufti and orange high-vis vests that read, ‘Shift Our Pay’. FIRST Union members are taking the partial strike action after ten days of negotiations over several months […]

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