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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 44]
Green policies will help low income workers and unemployed
Wednesday, 3 August 2011, 11:10 am | National Distribution Union
A $15 an hour minimum wage would be a helpful boost to low income workers and the Greens are absolutely right to make this a key election priority, National Distribution Union General Secretary Robert Reid said today. More >>
Rich List will go down like a cup of cold sick - NDU
Friday, 29 July 2011, 9:50 am | National Distribution Union
A 20 per cent increase in wealth of those on the NBR's Rich List will go down like a cup of cold sick with workers and beneficiaries battling rising costs, the National Distribution Union said today. More >>
Government Blocks Parliamentary Hearing on TPP
Wednesday, 27 July 2011, 9:14 am | National Distribution Union
The National-led government has blocked a request for a select committee hearing on the implications of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. More >>
New jobs in wood processing welcome
Monday, 25 July 2011, 2:19 pm | National Distribution Union
A new forest waste processing facility near Rotorua is a welcome move for the region and the wood processing workforce, the National Distribution Union said today. More >>
Procurement review score so far
Thursday, 21 July 2011, 3:59 pm | National Distribution Union
Stronger government buy-local requirements are welcome, but a union representing textile and wood processing workers is sceptical of Labour’s ability to implement their new policy, because so little has changed following the past 3 reviews of procurement. ... More >>
Cost of living increase reflects worker sentiment
Monday, 18 July 2011, 1:19 pm | National Distribution Union
Today’s cost of living statistics reflect what workers have been feeling over the last few months, a union representing low wage workers said today. More >>
Fraud charges cold comfort to betrayed workers
Thursday, 14 July 2011, 3:05 pm | National Distribution Union
The NDU says it is cold comfort to out of pocket workers that criminal charges have been laid against former Lane Walker Rudkin (LWR) director Kenneth Anderson. The union’s General Secretary, Robert Reid, says he asked the receivers to refer matters ... More >>
Safe Rates for truck drivers needed for safe roads
Thursday, 7 July 2011, 9:31 am | National Distribution Union
Unsafe contracts for truck drivers are a threat to public safety says the National Distribution Union. More >>
Whitcoulls Staff Relieved Sale Process Complete
Tuesday, 21 June 2011, 5:08 pm | National Distribution Union
“Whitcoulls staff are relieved that the sale process of the former REDGroup Retail company to the James Pascoe Group has now been completed,” said Robert Reid, General Secretary of the National Distribution Union. More >>
Don’t Wait to Act on Loan Sharks
Tuesday, 21 June 2011, 3:21 pm | National Distribution Union
The government needs to take action now on loan sharks, not call another meeting, the Pacific workers’ Fono of the National Distribution Union said today. More >>
Manufacturing needs to fire up also
Thursday, 16 June 2011, 12:20 pm | National Distribution Union
New Zealand needs more than just the primary production sector to fire up if we are to resuscitate the economy and boost incomes, the National Distribution Union said today. More >>
Redundancies at local Pumpkin Patch operations
Thursday, 16 June 2011, 9:38 am | National Distribution Union
Around 55 staff at Pumpkin Patch's East Tamaki Head Office and Distribution Centre were given notice today that their jobs could be made redundant. More >>
Whitcoulls workers the big losers in sale process
Monday, 30 May 2011, 12:25 pm | National Distribution Union
Last week’s cautious optimism on the sale of Whitcoulls turned to outrage over the weekend as the National Distribution Union sighted proposed job agreements workers are being required to sign by the end of today. More >>
Cautious optimism over Whitcoulls sale
Thursday, 26 May 2011, 4:25 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union is expressing cautious optimism following today's announcement of the successful sale of Whitcoulls and Borders as a going concern in New Zealand. More >>
Unemployment doesn’t have to be this high
Thursday, 5 May 2011, 1:43 pm | National Distribution Union
Unemployment doesn’t have to be this high and could come down quicker with better monetary policy and industry support from government, the National Distribution Union said today. More >>
First test of public holiday transfer law
Sunday, 24 April 2011, 12:24 pm | National Distribution Union
A critical first test over new employment laws is shaping up, as a union lays down a challenge to over 1,000 employers to use new public holiday transfer provisions to benefit workers. More >>
Shop trading laws already highly deregulated
Saturday, 23 April 2011, 11:57 am | National Distribution Union
Shop trading laws already highly deregulated The retail workers’ union says few countries have shopping laws as deregulated as New Zealand, and yet more of Parliament’s time will be wasted if a new bill on Easter trading is drawn from the ballot. Tau ... More >>
Retail workers value time off each Easter
Friday, 22 April 2011, 9:54 am | National Distribution Union
Retail workers dearly value the few close-down days each year they get guaranteed time off to see their families, their union said today. More >>
Govt admits defeat on NZ wage gap with Australia
Saturday, 9 April 2011, 2:30 pm | National Distribution Union
"30 per cent cheaper" - Govt admits defeat on NZ wage gap with Australia Rather than talking up New Zealand’s wage gap with Australia, Bill English should have a decent plan to close it, the National Distribution Union said today Finance ... More >>
