Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
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 3]
Nearly 20 Years On Minimum Wage - Chemical Cosmetic Workers Join Forces In Double Strike
Monday, 6 May 2024, 9:56 am | First Union
WHAT: FIRST Union members at chemical/cosmetic industry businesses Jaychem and Essano in Auckland are ramping up strike action this week, with a combined public picket on Tuesday and a full withdrawal of labour between Monday and Wednesday adding to ... More >>
ASB Workers To Strike As Bank Proposes An Effective Pay Cut
Thursday, 2 May 2024, 12:14 pm | FIRST Union
Workers at a major ASB contact centre in Auckland have voted to take strike action and withdraw their labour following disappointing pay negotiations with the employer and an "offer" to workers that would leave them worse off than the previous year. More >>
May Day: The Biggest Threat To NZ Workers In 2024 Is Our Government
Wednesday, 1 May 2024, 3:12 pm | FIRST Union
Thousands of workers attended public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today to celebrate International Workers’ Day (May Day), but union representatives are urging caution and vigilance over the Government’s blatantly "anti-worker" ... More >>
Unions Mark May Day With Call To Fight Back Against Government Austerity
Monday, 29 April 2024, 6:02 pm | FIRST Union
Unions are holding public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to mark May Day and International Workers’ Day 2024. More >>
Proposed EasySteel Restructure An Indictment Of Fletcher Mismanagement
Tuesday, 16 April 2024, 12:11 pm | FIRST Union
Mr Wallace said that FIRST Union and E Tū would be supporting union members through the consultation period and restructuring, and providing feedback to EasySteel about the "disastrous" proposal. More >>
Competition Deficit Suggests Need For Windfall Bank Profits Tax
Thursday, 21 March 2024, 11:19 am | First Union
FIRST Union supports the recommendations of today’s Commerce Commission report into the banking competition deficit, but is calling on Government to introduce an immediate windfall bank profits tax to support struggling communities and fund stronger ... More >>
Uber Drivers To Rally As Appeal On Contractor Misclassification Begins
Monday, 18 March 2024, 1:10 pm | FIRST Union
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ... More >>
Government’s 100-day War Against The Poor Cannot Continue - FIRST Union Verdict
Friday, 8 March 2024, 9:47 am | First Union
After 100 days in power, Christopher Luxon’s Government has made workers significantly worse off and punished the poorest while kicking off a pointless and distractionary culture war on behalf of the chaotic coalition’s wealthy backers, according to ... More >>
Sincere Or A Stunt? St John Workers Revisit Reti’s Pre-election Ambulance Ridealongs
Thursday, 7 March 2024, 9:45 am | First Union
A FIRST Union member who works for St John says ambulance officers are astounded by St John’s revelations during pay negotiations that frontline services could be cut or wages frozen due to a lack of funding , and they say the service is already ... More >>
Will Luxon Condemn Human Rights Abuses In Meeting With Philippines President?
Wednesday, 6 March 2024, 10:56 am | FIRST Union
FIRST Union General Secretary Dennis Maga has condemned the decision of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to fly to Australia to meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but says that if the Prime Minister is so determined for Marcos Jr.'s ... More >>
Ministers Ducking As St John Ambulance Service Threatens Cuts And Wage Freezes
Monday, 4 March 2024, 11:55 am | FIRST Union
Hato Hone St John staff are being left in the dark after being told by their employer during collective bargaining that no further funding is available to increase wages, despite promises from the National-NZ First coalition agreement to "renegotiate ... More >>
FIRST Union Statement On The Death Of Efeso Collins
Wednesday, 21 February 2024, 12:59 pm | First Union
Dennis Maga, FIRST Union General Secretary, said staff and union members are devastated by the passing of Fa’anānā Efeso Collins and wish to offer their respect and admiration for a dedicated, kind and effective community leader. "Efeso was ... More >>
FIRST Union and Migrante Aotearoa to stage a rally at Deloitte and the Philippine Embassy's Offices
Thursday, 18 January 2024, 5:41 pm | FIRST Union
FIRST Union and Migrante Aotearoa, A Filipino migrant workers organisation representing 500 workers at ELE, will hold a public gathering outside the offices of Deloitte and the Philippine Embassy, marking the one-month closure of the labour-hire and ... More >>
All We Want For Christmas Is Overtime Rates, Say Lion Distribution Workers
Thursday, 21 December 2023, 10:47 am | FIRST Union
The workers who handle the distribution of products from Lion’s famous ‘Pride’ brewery in East Tāmaki, Auckland, are locked in industrial action with their employer in the lead-up to Christmas. The strike comes after their union, FIRST Union, closes ... More >>
Migrant Construction Workers Must Not Be Left In Limbo
Wednesday, 20 December 2023, 3:25 pm | First Union
FIRST Union, the union that looks after migrant workers in the construction industry through the Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG), is calling on central Government to intervene in the ELE Group receivership, where around 500 workers with temporary ... More >>
Desperate Government Dumps FPAs But Workers Will Persevere
Thursday, 14 December 2023, 11:54 am | FIRST Union
"I want to thank the thousands of workers who put aside time, effort and money to collaborate on the development of the FPA model. Your work has not been wasted, and all options for future negotiations and bargaining models will be on the table ... More >>
"No New Ideas" - FIRST Union Verdict On Coalition Agreements
Tuesday, 28 November 2023, 8:59 am | First Union
FIRST Union has today responded to the coalition agreements between the new Government of the National Party, ACT and New Zealand First; describing the proposed policy programmes as regressive and the next Government as potentially the most self-interested ... More >>
Costco Living Wage Settlement Sets New Standard For Grocery Pay
Tuesday, 3 October 2023, 9:01 am | FIRST Union
Nearly 200 FIRST Union members who work at Costco in Auckland are "setting a new standard" for the supermarket and grocery industry after ratifying the store’s first Collective Agreement, which includes starting rates above the living ... More >>
Stop Bankflation: Campaign Calls For Action On Excessive Bank Profit Prolonging Cost Of Living Crisis
Tuesday, 26 September 2023, 2:02 pm | FIRST Union
Today, a public campaign to ‘Stop Bankflation!’ was launched by FIRST Union and ActionStation to highlight record bank profits that have not 'trickled down' to workers and customers. This morning, a mobile billboard was placed outside of ... More >>
Bankflation: The Big Four Banks Are Worsening The Cost Of Living Crisis
Tuesday, 26 September 2023, 6:54 am | FIRST Union
WHAT: ActionStation and FIRST Union are launching a campaign to deal with the issue of ‘Bankflation’, alongside the release of a short briefing paper into the matter . There will be a mobile billboard posted at Takutai Square. Bank workers will be ... More >>
