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 48]
GST Increase: Wrong Tax and Wrong Time
Thursday, 13 May 2010, 3:28 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union has joined family budget advisors, retailers and several political parties in growing opposition to GST being raised by 20% to 15 cents in the dollar in next week’s budget. More >>
Ex-LWR owner’s company collapse no surprise
Tuesday, 11 May 2010, 4:11 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union (New Zealand) is concerned but not surprised that another Ken Anderson company has collapsed, this time the Scallywag Sock company in Melbourne. More >>
Customers Dissatisfied With Banks Says Survey
Sunday, 9 May 2010, 12:07 pm | Finsec
Results released today showing high levels of customer dissatisfaction with the Australian owned banks are a wake up call to the industry and highlights the need for the government to step in to make banking in NZ fairer says the finance sector union Finsec More >>
Finsec asks John Key to shoot loan sharks
Friday, 7 May 2010, 11:17 am | finsec
Bank workers’ union Finsec has written to John Key asking him to shoot loan sharks out the water by supporting the Credit Reform (Responsible Lending) Bill. More >>
Plenty more can still be done on unemployment
Thursday, 6 May 2010, 11:58 am | National Distribution Union
There is plenty more the government could be doing to bring down unemployment, says the National Distribution Union. More >>
Down the road without a bean
Monday, 3 May 2010, 8:50 pm | National Distribution Union
An Auckland firm has sacked workers with decades of service without a bean in compensation. More >>
Banks own behaviours lead to lower profits
Tuesday, 27 April 2010, 6:29 pm | finsec
The latest KPMG industry report card shows New Zealand banks were not immunefrom the sorts of behaviours that led to the global financial crisis. More >>
Time for transport industry to support safe rates
Wednesday, 21 April 2010, 3:11 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union says all arms of the transport industry should support Labour MP Darien Fenton’s call for an enquiry into owner driver contracts. More >>
Tauranga Bus Drivers Seek Mediated Settlement
Tuesday, 20 April 2010, 5:21 pm | National Distribution Union
Tauranga bus drivers will enter into mediated talks with Go Bus in an attempt to reach an agreement on pay and conditions next Tuesday, April 27. More >>
Better Banking: Survey Gives Customers Their Say
Sunday, 11 April 2010, 12:05 pm | Finsec
The Finance Sector Union in Australia and Finsec in New Zealand are teaming up to give customers and workers on both sides of the Tasman a chance to say what they think of the state of banking down under. More >>
ANZ’s new Manila Hub may cost Kiwi jobs
Wednesday, 7 April 2010, 3:36 pm | finsec
New Zealand bank jobs could be at risk again following ANZ Bank’s announcement they are opening a new processing centre in the Philippines, says the bank workers' Union Finsec. ANZ National Bank has already offshored hundreds of New Zealand jobs ... More >>
Worker Hopes Break This Easter Won't Be Her Last
Saturday, 3 April 2010, 12:07 pm | National Distribution Union
A Wellington retail worker says she hopes this Easter won’t be the last one she has off to spend with her family, amid fresh attempts to remove Easter trading restrictions from two National Party MPs. More >>
Looming workforce crisis in ambulance sector
Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 5:10 pm | National Distribution Union
Ambulance officers are warning of a crisis in the sector as overworked paramedics miss meal breaks because of heavy workloads. More >>
Innocent employees and creditors biggest losers
Thursday, 25 February 2010, 1:08 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union says that innocent employees and creditors affected by business collapses will be the biggest losers from Commerce Minister Simon Power’s hasty decision to rule out requiring large non-issuer companies to file financial ... More >>
NZ monetary policy on the wrong track
Friday, 19 February 2010, 12:34 pm | Finsec
Bank workers’ union Finsec is calling for a modernisation of New Zealand’s monetary policy in light of the International Monetary Fund’s report, Rethinking Macroeconomic Policy, which seriously questions the basis of current policy. More >>
National should reject prescription on youth wages
Thursday, 11 February 2010, 9:58 am | National Distribution Union
An across the board wage cut for young workers will do nothing to stimulate the economy and close the income gap with Australia, the union for retail and other young workers said today. More >>
Government must act to fix massive unemployment
Thursday, 4 February 2010, 12:05 pm | National Distribution Union
By sitting on the sidelines the Government has contributed to the huge rise in unemployment levels says the National Distribution Union (NDU) which is calling for action to help get New Zealanders back into work. More >>
25 cents won’t do it
Thursday, 28 January 2010, 10:11 am | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union has slated the 25 cent an hour increase in the minimum wage announced by the Government today. More >>
25 cents won’t do it
Wednesday, 27 January 2010, 3:14 pm | National Distribution Union
The National Distribution Union has slated the 25 cent an hour increase in the minimum wage announced by the Government today. NDU General Secretary Robert Reid says the Government has missed an opportunity to assist low income workers make ends meet, ... More >>
'Where are the jobs' asks union?
Monday, 25 January 2010, 11:03 am | National Distribution Union
In the run-up to the anniversary of the Job Summit, the National Distribution Union is asking where the much vaunted new jobs are. It is calling for government to undertake and publish a stock take of the outcomes from the February 2009 summit. More >>
