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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 33]
2014 Rich List paints picture of inequality denial
Friday, 1 August 2014, 3:54 pm | First Union
The National Business Review’s 2014 Rich List is a stark reminder of the growing inequality in New Zealand, according to FIRST Union. This year is the first time the combined wealth of New Zealand’s Rich-Listers has passed $50 billion, more ... More >>
Labour reforms show commitment to tackling inequality
Wednesday, 30 July 2014, 2:00 pm | First Union
The NZ Labour Party’s just-announced industrial relations agenda demonstrates a clear commitment to tackling the growing inequality in New Zealand and restore democracy to our workplaces, according to FIRST Union. More >>
Disgraced hotel operator still hasn’t learned
Friday, 25 July 2014, 5:05 pm | Union Network of Migrants
A publicly disgraced Auckland hotel is still not paying their workers the minimum wage, according to the Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG). More >>
Interim TIAC report on Melling incident
Thursday, 24 July 2014, 12:03 pm | First Union
The Rail and Maritime Transport Union said today that there is long-standing concern about the effectiveness of the Matangi braking system among train drivers, and the union will work with KiwiRail on interim recommendations in a TIAC report out today. More >>
Christchurch CHEP workers walk off the job again
Monday, 21 July 2014, 12:31 pm | First Union
Workers at Brambles-owned CHEP Christchurch have walked off the job again today to protest the employer’s refusal to negotiate an improved pay offer, according to FIRST Union. More >>
Christchurch Chep workers strike for national pay parity
Thursday, 10 July 2014, 10:41 am | First Union
Workers at the Chep pallet plant in Christchurch are going on strike on Thursday 10 July, demanding pay parity with Chep’s Wiri pallet plant in Auckland, according to FIRST Union, the union for workers in the transport and logistics sector. More >>
Bullet Freight workers laid-off
Wednesday, 9 July 2014, 2:48 pm | First Union
An estimated 200 employees of Bullet Freight Systems lost their jobs yesterday following the company going into receivership last Friday evening (4 July), according to FIRST Union. More >>
Hamilton businesses let down redundant Huttons workers
Saturday, 28 June 2014, 3:27 pm | First Union
Hamilton businesses have let down the 125 Huttons workers who were made redundant at the end of March this year according their union, FIRST Union. “After the closure of the Huttons site FIRST Union funded a Redundancy Support Coordinator for two months,” ... More >>
Auckland train staff safety initiative supported
Friday, 27 June 2014, 9:04 am | First Union
The Rail and Maritime Transport Union is supporting a roll out of improved safety measures for train operating staff in Auckland. Transdev and Auckland Transport are commencing a 3 month trial of personal lapel cameras on Ticket Inspectors serving ... More >>
Bad and good news for Thames Timber workers
Wednesday, 25 June 2014, 3:45 pm | First Union
Bad and good news for Thames Timber workers The announcement this afternoon that Southern Cross Forest Products Thames Timber Ltd (Thames Timber) will be sold to Profiles Woodproducts Limited has been dampened by an announced concurrent restructuring, ... More >>
Union applauds NZ supermarkets’ stance on slavery
Tuesday, 24 June 2014, 4:54 pm | First Union
The union representing retail workers applauds both New Zealand supermarket chains (Progressive Enterprises’ Countdown and Foodstuffs’ New World and Pak’n’Save) for taking a strong stance against alleged slave labour in global prawn supply chains. More >>
Union forestry campaign showing dramatic drop in incidents
Tuesday, 24 June 2014, 1:44 pm | First Union
A snapshot of Worksafe New Zealand’s Tree Felling Project contains both good and bad news, said FIRST Union General Secretary Robert Reid. On the one hand it shows a dramatic drop in the number of serious harm incident notifications between 1 January ... More >>
Leaked Agreement would lock in failed neoliberal model
Friday, 20 June 2014, 1:56 pm | First Union
Today Wikileaks released the secret draft text of the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) Financial Services Annex, ahead of the next round of TISA negotiations in Geneva next week. More >>
Union shocked at Postie Announcement
Thursday, 19 June 2014, 9:38 am | First Union
Union shocked at Postie Announcement The announcement of Postie Plus Group Limited (Administrators appointed) late Wednesday that it is closing 12 stores and making 64 staff redundant has been greeted with shock by FIRST Union, which represents Postie ... More >>
Review Panel reflects union concerns about forestry safety
Friday, 6 June 2014, 2:46 pm | First Union
The union representing forestry workers feels vindicated that its concerns have been reflecting in the Public Consultation Document released today by the Independent Forestry Safety Review. More >>
Postie Plus Group’s administrator must put workers first
Tuesday, 3 June 2014, 12:23 pm | First Union
The union representing retail workers is saddened but not surprised by today’s announcement that Postie has gone into voluntary administration. There are 82 Postie stores nationwide, and existing employees have been told that they will remain in ... More >>
Northland petrol tanker drivers back at work
Wednesday, 28 May 2014, 1:38 pm | First Union
Northland petrol tanker drivers back at work Northland petroleum tanker drivers at Toll Carriers are back on the job after successfully achieving a collective agreement and pay rise. Yesterday afternoon FIRST Union members ratified a new collective employment ... More >>
Murray Horton speaks on GCSB and TPPA in Wellington tonight
Wednesday, 28 May 2014, 11:01 am | First Union
Anyone interested in issues such as asset sales, corporate tax avoidance, GCSB surveillance and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement are being invited to head along to see Murray Horton speak tonight in Wellington. His talks are always lively and informative. More >>
Wages and truth casualties in Toll’s drive to clear name
Thursday, 22 May 2014, 12:08 pm | First Union
Wages and truth both casualties in Toll’s drive to clear name Recent comments by Toll on an industry website would not stand up to independent scrutiny, says the drivers union. The article, on the website Dieseltalk.co.nz, accuses the union of ... More >>
Community and global support growing for striking drivers
Thursday, 22 May 2014, 9:29 am | First Union
Community support for the striking Toll/BP drivers is growing, and supporters are keen to see an end to this dispute so the workers can return to the job. Yesterday around 60 workers and community supporters picketed the Waterview BP station in Auckland, ... More >>
