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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 2]
Union Bracing For Further Job Cuts: Call For Urgent Action On Energy Pricing
Tuesday, 13 August 2024, 12:40 pm | First Union
"The response of the Government so far has been really disappointing, with Ministers seemingly more interested in blaming the previous Labour government rather than addressing the real problem at hand," said Dennis Maga, General Secretary of FIRST Union. More >>
Woolworths Strike: Staff Asked To Dress Up In Disney Costumes For A Week On Their Own Dollar
Tuesday, 13 August 2024, 7:35 am | First Union
FIRST Union members say a request for all supermarket staff to ‘voluntarily’ dress up in Disney costumes that they must pay themselves this week is in "poor taste" and indicative of the company’s wasteful spending during the largest strike action ... More >>
Woolworths Workers Unfazed By Intimidation As First Strike Action Succeeds
Friday, 9 August 2024, 8:41 am | First Union
Ross Lampert, FIRST Union national coordinator for retail food, said strike actions had united and energised workers and there had been an overwhelming level of support from customers, who have been asking the union for how they can support striking ... More >>
OJI Fibre To Close Penrose Recycle Pulp Mill Due To High Cost Of Energy
Wednesday, 7 August 2024, 11:12 am | First Union
"This has come like a bolt out of the blue for workers and was completely unexpected," said Justin Wallace, organiser for FIRST Union, which represents production workers on site. More >>
Woolworths Workers Vote For Initial Strike Actions Over Low Wage Offer And Unsafe Staffing Levels
Tuesday, 6 August 2024, 7:44 am | FIRST Union
Ross Lampert, FIRST Union national organiser for retail food, said over 95% of strike ballot respondents had voted to take three initial strike actions, with a smaller group of members across ten key Woolworths stores nationwide also voting for an additional ... More >>
Strike: St John Ambulance Officers Vote For Withdrawal Of Labour
Monday, 5 August 2024, 1:44 pm | First Union
"Withdrawing their labour is a last resort for many ambulance officers, but they’re stuck between a rock - St John - and a hard place - the Beehive - and time is running out to find a solution," said Ms McCann. More >>
Your Tax Cut Was Paid For By The Public Service
Wednesday, 31 July 2024, 10:25 am | First Union
Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, says that personal tax cuts taking effect today are largely illusory and will not mitigate a cost of living crisis that is being deepened and worsened by the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s systematic ... More >>
"Unlimited Greed" - Banks Betraying New Zealanders With Collective ‘Offshoring’ Push
Tuesday, 30 July 2024, 11:38 am | FIRST Union
Banks used to be seen as a key part of our communities; places that were there to help you in tough times and give useful advice. Now they’re abandoning our communities and turning their backs on New Zealanders, just because they think it'll make them ... More >>
St John Ambos In "Political Limbo" As Shifts Go Unfilled And Strike Actions Intensify
Monday, 22 July 2024, 8:31 am | First Union
FIRST Union ambulance officers are confirming new strike actions and pushing back against incorrect and misleading claims by St John and politicians about recruitment and staffing levels. More >>
Cuts To Southern Budgeting Services Will Leave A Major Hole In Communities
Thursday, 4 July 2024, 9:26 am | FIRST Union
"It’s tempting to think that the Government has cut funding for the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, but the truth is that budgeting services can stop people falling over the edge in the first place," said Mr Watson. More >>
Essential Hospital Medication Supply Workers At Baxter Healthcare To Strike
Sunday, 30 June 2024, 11:54 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union members who work for Baxter Healthcare Limited in Auckland and Christchurch are taking strike action by withdrawing their labour and holding a public picket outside the business in Auckland on Monday 1st July. More >>
"Heartless" Immigration Changes Show Govt Is Turning Its Back On Migrant Workers
Thursday, 27 June 2024, 2:37 pm | First Union
Migrant workers had been welcomed to Aotearoa during the Covid-19 pandemic due to worker shortages, and the Government’s new changes would leave many migrant workers out of pocket and in the dark regarding future plans to bring family members to the ... More >>
FIRST Union Cut From Contractor Consultation As Govt Omits Critics
Thursday, 27 June 2024, 10:44 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union General Secretary Dennis Maga said he has received a notice from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) that confirms that the union will be omitted from consultation on Minister Brook Van Velden’s intended changes ... More >>
Farro Fresh Workers Are Serving Auckland’s Elite On "Poverty Wages"
Friday, 21 June 2024, 1:30 pm | First Union
Nicholas Mayne, FIRST Union organiser, said that Farro’s current "take it or leave it" offer to union members would mean the majority of Farro employees would be earning between the minimum wage and $24.20 per hour. More >>
Ambulance Officers Query NZ First’s Broken Promise Of Better Funding For St John
Thursday, 20 June 2024, 11:23 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union members at St John have voted to take further strike action that commences today, with the aim of seeking public support for a fully functioning ambulance service before industrial action intensifies to the point of withdrawing labour. More >>
New Survey Of Supermarket Workers Shows A Grim Reality On NZ’s Shop Floors
Wednesday, 19 June 2024, 8:12 am | First Union
A survey of more than 1500 supermarket and grocery workers from Aotearoa’s major retail chains shows that low pay, understaffing and customer abuse are causing major concern across the industry. The survey (attached / available online HERE ) shows ... More >>
One Simple Thing Could Save Foodstuffs Millions In ‘Historic’ North/South Merger
Wednesday, 5 June 2024, 12:20 pm | FIRST Union
Mr Hughes said some Foodstuffs store owners could spend tens of thousands of dollars on expensive employment advocates during bargaining in an attempt to outsource the ‘difficult’ parts of bargaining to an uninterested party. More >>
Strike - Godfrey Hirst Carpet Makers Refuse To Be Walked Over
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 5:48 pm | FIRST Union
FIRST Union members who work for multinational carpet maker Godfrey Hirst in Lower Hutt have voted to take strike action this Friday after more than 7 unproductive months of pay negotiations have left workers falling behind and frustrated More >>
"A Brain Drain Budget": Luxon Offering Kiwis A One-way Ticket To Australia
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 4:27 pm | FIRST Union
FIRST Union General Secretary Dennis Maga says today’s Budget 2024/25 is one of the most regressive in the country’s history, and represents a "Brain Drain Budget" that will encourage many more Kiwis to consider moving overseas. More >>
Is Luxon Lying Or Out Of The Loop On St John Funding?
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 12:24 pm | First Union
FIRST Union has confirmed following the Prime Minister’s interview that Hato Hone St John Chief Executive, Peter Bradley, says the organisation is seeking 100% of all St John operating costs and key infrastructure to be funded by the Government. More >>
