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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 28]
‘Out of touch’ Government blocks Easter trading petition
Wednesday, 29 June 2016, 9:59 am | FIRST Union
The union representing retail workers is warning that the Government is out of touch with working people after passing the second reading of the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill, a law handing local authorities the power to permit trading on Easter Sunday. More >>
Wage gap remains at Foodstuffs stores in Nelson
Tuesday, 28 June 2016, 3:42 pm | First Union
More than six months after the union representing retail workers started recruiting members at New World Nelson and Pak’n Save Richmond, the local owners of the two supermarket giants are digging their heels in and refusing to negotiate fair pay ... More >>
Bidvest deliveries to stop as workers take action
Wednesday, 11 May 2016, 10:53 am | First Union
Bidvest deliveries to stop as workers take action Drivers and store workers at the South African-owned food distribution company Bidvest are taking strike action as the company refuses to negotiate a wage increase for workers in the Hawkes Bay. Approximately ... More >>
Ambulance service cuts will hurt – union
Tuesday, 26 April 2016, 10:35 am | FIRST Union
A proposal by St John Ambulance to reduce staff numbers will be an immense loss for both the community who use the service and the workers affected says FIRST Union, the union for Ambulance Professionals. More >>
Union welcomes Bunnings back down on in-store defibrillators
Wednesday, 30 March 2016, 12:34 pm | First Union
The union representing Bunnings workers is welcoming the company’s decision to install defibrillators in five stores, including in stores where staff-owned defibrillators were removed. More >>
Bus company using ratepayers’ money to breach employment law
Wednesday, 30 March 2016, 11:43 am | FIRST Union
The long running dispute between Auckland bus drivers and their employer is heading to the courts as FIRST Union, the union representing drivers at Howick and Eastern Buses, files two cases in the Employment Relations Authority against the East Auckland ... More >>
Disruption at Richmond PAK’nSAVE as workers strike
Thursday, 24 March 2016, 8:55 am | First Union
Workers responsible for filling shelves at the Richmond PAK’nSAVE are on strike this morninig in frustration at the supermarket’s continued refusal to bargain over pay rates and lift wages for low paid workers at the store. More >>
Bunnings dispute heads to the Employment Relations Authority
Friday, 18 March 2016, 11:33 am | First Union
“The ERA has accepted our application for facilitated bargaining. With the ERA supervising the process we’re confident we can break the deadlock on rostering,” says FIRST Union Retail and Finance Secretary Maxine Gay. More >>
Auckland bus drivers’ strike escalates
Wednesday, 16 March 2016, 1:05 pm | FIRST Union
Union members at Howick and Eastern Buses, the bus provider for much of East Auckland, will be refusing to take cash or hop card fares on Thursday (17 March) meaning a free ride for some passengers. More >>
Bunnings workers remove their aprons in nationwide strike
Tuesday, 15 March 2016, 3:42 pm | FIRST Union
Bunnings workers remove their aprons in nationwide strike Workers from 29 Bunnings stores across the country will taking action today and removing their signature aprons as part of ongoing strike action nationwide. “Workers will replace their aprons ... More >>
Union to take Auckland bus dispute to the Auditor-General
Friday, 11 March 2016, 2:46 pm | FIRST Union
Union to take Auckland bus dispute to the Auditor-General Drivers at Howick & Eastern Buses are pledging to continue their fight for fair pay and conditions as the drivers’ union, FIRST Union, prepares to write to the Auditor-General asking ... More >>
Action needed as report exposes DHL’s rule breaking
Monday, 7 March 2016, 10:33 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union is echoing concerns raised about global logistics giant DHL after a new report found the company guilty of breaking its own – and international – rules on the way its workers are treated. More >>
Workers plan wage gap protest at Invercargill Pak’n Save
Friday, 4 March 2016, 11:24 am | FIRST Union
Workers and supporters from the Invercargill community are taking to the protest line as the owner-operator of Pak’n Save Invercargill refuses to negotiate new pay rates for workers, nearly of all whom earn up to $2 less than their colleagues ... More >>
Pan Pac workers commence health and safety strike
Thursday, 3 March 2016, 11:49 am | First Union
After ongoing health and safety breaches at Pan Pac Mill in Napier, workers from the lumber division have issued a health and safety strike notice effective from 10am today. More >>
Auckland bus drivers win court case
Wednesday, 2 March 2016, 11:56 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union and the Tramways Union have secured a judgment in the Employment Relations Authority holding that NZ Bus, the Auckland bus company whose drivers took city-wide strike action in February, was in breach of its consultation obligations under the ... More >>
Auckland bus strike escalates
Wednesday, 2 March 2016, 10:31 am | FIRST Union
Over 100 FIRST Union members from Howick and Eastern Buses are recommencing strike action as the company makes repeated attempts to remove overtime and weekend rates for drivers, says FIRST Union Bus Organiser Rudd Hughes. More >>
Government botches chance to jumpstart the economy
Monday, 29 February 2016, 3:32 pm | FIRST Union
Government botches chance to jumpstart the economy While the government confirms the minimum wage will rise 50 cents to $15.25 an hour, a trade union representing low paid workers is criticising the “meagre” increase as a missed opportunity ... More >>
Call for Review of Auckland Transport Tendering Process
Thursday, 18 February 2016, 2:11 pm | First Union
Media release from FIRST Union 18 February 2016 FIRST Union Assistant General Secretary, Karl Andersen says the Auckland Transport tendering process plays a big part in the industrial unrest in the bus industry. “There is an urgent need for them to review ... More >>
Strike at NZ Bus
Tuesday, 16 February 2016, 4:40 pm | FIRST Union
Unions representing NZ Bus workers are astounded at the statement of NZ Bus Chief Operating Officer, Shane McMahon, this morning that he did not know what NZ Bus drivers are wanting. Over 1000 bus drivers at NZ Bus will walk off the job on Friday for ... More >>
Union Will Continue Pickets at Foodstuffs Stores
Sunday, 14 February 2016, 2:17 pm | First Union
FIRST union will resume its pickets of Foodstuffs stores in Nelson today despite having its organisers arrested twice yesterday. More >>
