NDU Press Releases

New research from Victoria University shows workers in unions are closing the wage gap with Australia much quicker than their non-union workmates.

This showed that current proposals to put barriers in the way of workers accessing unions were very misplaced, National Distribution Union General Secretary Robert Reid said.

60 Kaitaia workers have today added their opposition to National's weakening of work rights.

The workers attended a meeting at the Kaitaia RSA this afternoon to discuss National's proposed changes to the Employment Relations and Holidays Acts, which were tabled in Parliament yesterday.

1700 workers packed two Auckland venues this morning to discuss changes to employment law that are being debated in Parliament this afternoon.

The workers, members of the National Distribution Union, attended meetings in Manurewa and Penrose to hear about the proposals, and take part in planning a community response to them, NDU General Secretary Robert Reid said.

100 Whangarei workers have today added their opposition to National's weakening of work rights.

The workers attended a meeting at Forum North this morning to discuss National's proposed changes to the Employment Relations and Holidays Acts, which were tabled in Parliament yesterday.

A further meeting is being held in Kaitaia this afternoon, and in Auckland tomorrow.

400 workers attended a meeting in West Auckland today to discuss National's proposed changes to the Employment Relations and Holidays Acts, which were tabled in Parliament this afternoon.

Another 1,000 in total are expected at further meetings in Central and South Auckland on Thursday, ahead of this weekend's 'Fairness at Work' rally in Auckland and other centres, the National Distribution Union (NDU) said today.

The Fisher & Paykel Labour Union of Thailand was launched in Rayong, Thailand this morning with support from National Distribution Union (NDU) and Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union (EPMU), which represent F&P workers in New Zealand.

NDU General Secretary, Robert Reid, said the New Zealand unions were "very excited that a union had been established at F&P's Thailand operation."

Shop workers, community groups and churches will be among those opposing new attempts to open shops at Easter, the union for retail workers says.

Jacqui Dean's members bill to liberalise Easter trading in the Waitaki electorate was drawn from the ballot at Parliament today.

Workers in unions who are winning wage increases well in excess of the national average are helping to stimulate demand in the economy, but the government needs to be doing much more to keep workers in jobs, a union says.

Unemployment is up sharply to 6.8%, according to Statistics NZ figures released this morning.

A group of West Coast workers have spoken out against National's weakening of work rights, saying that trying to get a same-day doctor's appointment for a minor ailment was a joke.

National's employment proposals include requiring a doctor's certificate for just one day off sick, if requested by an employer.

The union for textile workers says it's only right and proper that the former directors of Feltex should have been investigated and prosecuted by the Registrar of Companies, following the company's collapse.

The National Distribution Union represented 700+ Feltex workers who were made redundant.