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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 38]
Bank Profits At Expense Of Workforce And Community
Thursday, 18 April 2013, 3:26 pm | First Union
Media release: FIRST Union Thursday April 18, 2013 Bank Profits At Expense Of Workforce And Community The bank workers’ union says that while no one is arguing banks shouldn’t be making a profit, the extent of the windfall of the four Australian banks off the ... More >>
Pak n Save & New World sticking out like a sore thumb
Saturday, 6 April 2013, 2:55 pm | First Union
Supermarket operator Foodstuffs is isolating itself as a low wage employer for young workers, and should instead take the lead from the large fast food firms and others in retail who have opted out of youth rates, the retail workers’ union said today. ... More >>
Forest safety campaign calls for inquiry
Thursday, 4 April 2013, 12:46 pm | First Union
Media release: FIRST Union Thursday 4 April, 2013 Forest safety campaign calls for inquiry into one of NZ’s most dangerous industries A campaign calling for an inquiry into health and safety in forestry stepped up a notch today with the launch of a ... More >>
Forest death must prompt changes
Wednesday, 27 March 2013, 1:14 pm | First Union
The wood sector union says that another fatality in forestry must serve as a wakeup call for better health and safety standards in the industry. “It is a very sad time for the family of the 23 year old forestry worker who died yesterday near Rotorua, ... More >>
Migrant Worker Exploitation Will Continue Without Tougher En
Monday, 18 March 2013, 9:41 am | First Union
Media Release: FIRST Union Sunday 17 March 2013 Migrant Worker Exploitation Will Continue Without Tougher Enforcement Widespread exploitation of migrant workers will continue unless there are tougher penalties and stronger enforcement, says a union ... More >>
Summit Wool Spinners update
Wednesday, 27 February 2013, 2:01 pm | First Union
This week is Summit Wool Spinners' final week of operation. Workers are finishing this week, and await decisions from Godfrey Hirst owned Canterbury Spinners on the future of the plant. More >>
25 cents won't pay the rent
Tuesday, 26 February 2013, 1:12 pm | First Union
Twenty five cents an hour will do nothing to reduce poverty, a union for low paid workers in retail, logistics and other sector says. The government has today announced a new minimum wage rate of $13.75, an increase of just twenty five cents. More >>
ANZ job cuts in Australia and New Zealand
Wednesday, 20 February 2013, 5:05 pm | First Union
Redundancies announced a short time ago at ANZ in Australia follow advice to New Zealand staff of potential redundancies also, the finance workers’ union said today. More >>
Forest exports at risk over certification non compliance
Monday, 18 February 2013, 9:16 am | First Union
New Zealand’s forest exports are being put risk as the industry continues to drag the chain on a key aspect of its certification, a union for workers in the wood industries says. More >>
Secure and safe jobs would help attract primary production
Friday, 15 February 2013, 10:35 am | First Union
Media release: FIRST Union Friday February 15, 2013. Secure and safe jobs would help attract primary production workers Better health and safety and job security would help in attracting workers to primary industries, FIRST Union said today. Rabobank ... More >>
Foodstuffs merger opportunity to improve workplace relations
Friday, 8 February 2013, 2:42 pm | First Union
A potential merger of the two North Island Foodstuffs cooperatives should be used as an opportunity to improve workplace relations and lift their very low wages, the union for workers at the company says. More >>
Unemployment stubbornly high
Thursday, 7 February 2013, 11:36 am | First Union
Unemployment stubbornly high Unemployment is stubbornly high and the government needs to face up to the country’s jobs crisis, FIRST Union said today. Unemployment sits at 6.9 per cent in statistics out this morning. “This is 163,000 workers and ... More >>
Industrial Action At Auckland Distribution Centre
Thursday, 31 January 2013, 3:33 pm | First Union
Media release: FIRST Union Thursday 31 January, 2013 Industrial Action At Auckland Distribution Centre Workers at an Auckland book and magazine distribution centre have started industrial action today, after talks over their employment agreement ... More >>
Unemployment crisis needs more than minor tweaks to economy
Tuesday, 29 January 2013, 3:17 pm | First Union
The need to urgently get on top of high unemployment was the glaring omission from John Key’s speech opening Parliament, FIRST Union said today. “Unemployment shot up half a per cent to 7.3 per cent in November. More >>
Fine for trucking firm prompts calls for better protections
Sunday, 20 January 2013, 8:57 am | First Union
A significant fine handed down to a truck operator this week has prompted calls for the government to better regulate truckies’ working conditions, and to stop blocking a UN protocol on long work hours. More >>
Rail workers ratify employment agreement
Thursday, 13 December 2012, 3:39 pm | First Union
Rail workers have voted to ratify their collective agreement for a two year term. The agreement is the largest in the rail industry and covers over 2,500 workers at NZ Railways Corporation, Ontrack and KiwiRail. More >>
Mass Union Meeting Calls On Port CEO To Share Bonus
Wednesday, 12 December 2012, 3:37 pm | First Union
Media Release: Rail and Maritime Transport Union Wednesday 12 December, 2012 Mass Union Meeting Calls On Port CEO To Share Bonus A mass meeting of members of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) a short time ago called on Lyttelton Port Company ... More >>
Two Thirds Wary Of TPP That Allows Foreign Investors to Sue
Wednesday, 12 December 2012, 9:14 am | First Union
Media release: FIRST Union Wednesday December 12, 2012 Two Thirds Of New Zealanders Wary Of TPP That Allows Foreign Investors To Sue A new poll shows two thirds of New Zealanders are wary of a Trans Pacific Partnership that has rules allowing corporations ... More >>
International rail workers condemn Hillside decision
Monday, 10 December 2012, 2:16 pm | First Union
A meeting of Asia Pacific rail unions has condemned the government’s failure to keep rail manufacturing jobs in New Zealand. At a meeting of the International Centre for Labour Solidarity in Wellington over the weekend, delegates were updated on the ... More >>
Public patience with no-jobs government wearing thin
Sunday, 9 December 2012, 11:30 am | First Union
The government’s lack of any plan for jobs has been laid bare this morning, FIRST Union said today. A Fairfax poll out this morning listed job creation and unemployment as the top issue facing the country. More >>
