Our 2026 E tū Delegate Forums were a great success, with hundreds of delegates meeting across the country to organise, learn, and build union strength.
The energy at the forums was something else. Delegates from every part of our union came together, from multiple industries: aviation, care and support, manufacturing, cleaning, security, and communications. They shared what is happening in their workplaces, swapped ideas, and made plans for the year ahead.
This year’s theme is “Our future, our terms: Ake! Ake! Ake!” It is about more than responding to attacks on workers. The future belongs to us too, and we are going to build it on our own terms. Ake! Ake! Ake! carries that sense of determination, the will to keep going for ever.
It is the same theme we carry into our Biennial Conference in July, and through to the general election in November.
A big focus across every forum was enrolling to vote. The rules have changed, and the deadline to enrol is earlier than it used to be. Voting is one of the ways workers protect our voice, so delegates are organising now to make sure every member is enrolled and ready.
Delegates also elected the Delegate Forum Representatives who will speak for each forum at the Biennial Conference. This means local views and local priorities are heard right where the big decisions get made.
One of those Delegate Forum Representatives who was elected is Paul Johnstone, from CityCare in Christchurch.
“I really enjoyed the Delegate Forum, it’s a great opportunity for delegates to get together and share stories, and tricks of trade,” Paul says.
“The parts I always enjoy most is when we have the breakout sessions, talking in small groups and get to know each other a little better.
“I think it’s really important to go along. The forums are a core part of our E tū democracy, and we need to keep talking about where we’re going, looking ahead to the future, and making sure we’re all on the same page.”
The strength of our union is built in rooms like these. Thank you to everyone who came along, spoke up, and helped make the forums happen.
