FIRST Union
Putting Workers First
FIRST Union is New Zealand's second-largest private sector trade union.
Formed in 2011 after the merger between the National Distribution Union and Finsec, FIRST Union represents 27,000 workers in the Finance, Industrial (Textile and Wood), Retail, Stores, Transport and Logistics sectors.
FIRST Union is also affiliated to the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and runs several networks including the Union Network of Migrants, the Runanga, Fono and Womens' Committee. In 2015 FIRST Union launched Samoa First Union, Samoa's only private sector union.
Join FIRST Union today for higher pay, better conditions and more say at work.
FIRST Union - Latest News [Page 1]
Workers Dismayed As Warehouse Confirms Restructure To Proceed
Friday, 18 September 2020, 8:40 am | First Union
The Warehouse confirmed to workers in a series of meetings around the country that the organisation has decided to continue with its proposed restructure of 62 further Warehouse stores, despite overwhelming staff feedback that the plan will disadvantage ... More >>
Last Chance For Warehouse Workers
Friday, 11 September 2020, 8:15 am | First Union
Warehouse workers have presented their final feedback on corporate management’s restructure and redundancy process in a last-ditch attempt to save jobs and hours in 62 stores around New Zealand and are seeking public support to stop the restructure, ... More >>
Major Brands Forcing Staff To Use Sick And Annual Leave To Self-isolate As Subsidy Goes Untapped
Tuesday, 25 August 2020, 9:49 am | FIRST Union
Major retail and industry brands including Fletcher, Countdown, Lion and Bunnings are jeopardising the national pandemic response and exploiting their workers by forcing many to use sick leave and accrued annual leave instead of applying for the easily-available ... More >>
Resilience Projects To Benefit From Government Investment In Climate Change Protections
Tuesday, 11 August 2020, 12:10 pm | First Union
$100m in government funding for climate change protections and infrastructure comes at a welcome time where shovel-ready projects are needed to help New Zealand bounce back against Covid-19 and create sustainable jobs for Kiwis in the quarrying sector, ... More >>
Celebrate Collective Bargaining! How Bank Staff Have Paved The Way For Everyone On The Living Wage
Tuesday, 28 July 2020, 3:43 pm | FIRST Union
With the recent news that all bank workers in New Zealand - including contractors, cleaners and other non-financial staff - will now be receiving the living wage, it is time to highlight the central role of collective bargaining in negotiating fair ... More >>
New Protections For Migrant Workers A Step In The Right Direction
Tuesday, 28 July 2020, 9:06 am | FIRST Union
Migrant workers and representatives from Migrante Aotearoa, FIRST Union and UNEMIG (Union Network for Migrants) have welcomed the outcome of the Government’s Temporary migrant worker exploitation review, stating that the changes to take place over the ... More >>
Warehouse Using Covid For Cover As Extensive Restructure Makes Everyone Worse Off
Monday, 20 July 2020, 9:30 am | FIRST Union
(FIRST Union comments on The Warehouse consultation and proposed restructure) "Unfortunately the Warehouse have done the disappointing thing and used Covid-19 to justify a bunch of operational business decisions that will leave hundreds of workers without jobs ... More >>
Statement On Philippines Anti-terror Laws From Community Leaders
Monday, 6 July 2020, 9:37 am | FIRST Union
A signed statement from community leaders and representatives of unions, churches, humanitarian groups, NGOs and others regarding new anti-terrorism legislation in the Philippines. The Philippines has one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the entire ... More >>
Regional Skills Leadership Groups A Good Step Forward
Thursday, 25 June 2020, 11:12 am | FIRST Union
"The establishment of Regional labour market bodies by the Government is a welcome if not long overdue step," said Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, commenting on today’s Government announcement that 10 of the 15 proposed interim ... More >>
AMI Is Turning Its Back On New Zealand Communities - FIRST Union
Wednesday, 24 June 2020, 2:12 pm | FIRST Union
The union representing finance workers has described the proposal by insurance giant IAG to close all of its 53 AMI stores in New Zealand as irresponsible and short-sighted, warning that big companies like AMI are using the Covid-19 crisis to justify ‘unpalatable’ ... More >>
Employment Authority Rules Ritchies Discriminated Against Union Members
Friday, 19 June 2020, 6:57 am | FIRST Union
A significant ruling in the Employment Relations Authority (attached) was made yesterday in favour of FIRST Union, who argued that Ritchies Transport, a Government-contracted bus company with several major national contracts, has consistently discriminated ... More >>
Labour-hire Works Are Falling Between The Cracks During Pandemic Response
Thursday, 4 June 2020, 2:30 pm | FIRST Union
Labour-hire workers are falling between the cracks because neither the agencies they are employed by nor the host companies they work for want to take responsibility for them, FIRST Union said today. Dozens of agency workers have been contacting the ... More >>
FIRST Union Budget 2020 Comments From Dennis Maga, General Secretary
Thursday, 14 May 2020, 2:53 pm | First Union
FIRST Union Budget 2020 comments from Dennis Maga, General Secretary "Today’s ‘Workers Budget’, set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, has succeeded in its immediate aims of supporting businesses and New Zealand workers who are facing ... More >>
Thousands Of Supermarket Workers Petition Countdown And Foodstuffs Bosses: Pay Us Fairly For Level 3
Wednesday, 13 May 2020, 9:25 am | FIRST Union
Thousands of supermarket workers have signed a petition to the CEOs of Foodstuffs and Countdown, calling for the ten percent bonus to supermarket staff to be extended to cover the two-week period under the level-3 stage of lockdown, during which workers ... More >>
FIRST Union welcomes "land-mark" decision in courier case
Thursday, 7 May 2020, 2:43 pm | FIRST Union
FIRST Union is describing today's decision by the Employment Court reclassifying a contract courier driver as an employee as a land-mark decision that will have a ripple effect throughout the industry. More >>
Migrant Groups Warn Of Impending Humanitarian Crisis Without Govt Support
Wednesday, 6 May 2020, 9:54 am | FIRST Union
The Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG), Migrante Aotearoa and the Indian Workers Association (IWA) are warning that the basis for a humanitarian crisis within New Zealand’s migrant workforce is developing following the Government’s refusal ... More >>
Fair Pay At Supermarkets To End - Calling On The Public To Support Our Workers
Friday, 24 April 2020, 7:40 am | First Union
"Countdown and Foodstuffs have confirmed that they’ll be ending the 10% bonus provided to essential workers during the level-4 lockdown beyond the coming week," said Tali Williams, FIRST Union Secretary for Retail, Finance and Commerce. "This ... More >>
How Is Fletcher Building Getting Away With This?
Tuesday, 7 April 2020, 1:42 pm | FIRST Union
FIRST Union is today calling for immediate Government intervention following revelations that Fletcher Building, one of the nation’s largest employers and a major benefactor of the Covid-19 wage subsidy, has misled workers over their eligibility for urgent ... More >>
FIRST Union Condemns Fletcher Attempt To Underpay Workers
Thursday, 2 April 2020, 1:44 pm | FIRST Union
Fletcher Building’s attempt to underpay workers during the lockdown by proposing progressive reductions in income over the twelve weeks of the Government’s subsidy is appalling behaviour from a major employer and represents the worst kind of wage ... More >>
Easter Trading: Be Kind To Supermarket Workers, Prime Minister
Tuesday, 31 March 2020, 11:39 am | FIRST Union
"Be kind to supermarket workers this Easter" is the message to Government from the union representing supermarket staff. "We make this call as the Government considers whether or not supermarkets should be open on Easter Friday and Sunday ... More >>
