Every year is extraordinary and 2024 is no exception. I am inspired by the courage and commitment of E tū members who stand together every day for a better life. Working together for a better life has been the common thread of our union for more than 160 years. Simply signing a membership form is the first step. From that point, we are all connected across our union.
Delegates are our heart
All unionised worksites elect delegates – you place your confidence in one or more fellow members to be your leaders and representatives. Every delegate in the country is invited to attend a one-day Delegate Forum every year, so that we may increase our connection across the union and come together to discuss what workers are experiencing and what we are doing. Our series of 2024 Forums was held up and down the country from early April to early May. The Forum theme was “E tū, ururoatia!” – stand up, fight back.
That is our theme for the year – and beyond.
There is much to fight back against.
Attacks on workers
We are beginning to see the real effects of the new government now. Thousands of public service workers have been laid off and government agencies have had their budgets slashed. That has flow-on effects for workers in the rest of the country – including our members. First, we suffer because of the reduced public services – including less support for kiwis from our public health and education systems. Second, when public servants are no longer working, the cleaners and security guards who support them risk losing their jobs too. Third, when jobs are cut and unemployment grows, there is less money circulating in the economy and this leads to further job cuts. There are many other examples. The government has cut Te Aka Whai Ora abandoning any commitment to improving the health of Māori; the minimum wage has gone backwards in real terms – putting downward pressure on all of our incomes; and the pay equity unit that government set up has been chopped.
So we stand up and fight back.
Fight back!
Our delegates at the Delegate Forums are committed to the fightback. We build our own strength by recruiting new members and standing up for what we need for a decent life – decent work with a decent income, job security, a quality work environment and an effective workers’ voice.
And we fight with all our industrial and campaigning strength. We have campaigned to “Save our Stories” when TVNZ announced they were axing Sunday and other shows. We have launched “Transforming Care”, which is a campaign for decent work and a better funding model for care and support workers. We have settled a collective agreement for commercial cleaners that guarantees a margin above the minimum wage of 30 cents and we have maintained industry standard agreements for plastics and general manufacturing workers. We are joining with unions from around the world to campaign for “Safer Airports” – so that work in all occupations in airports can be safe, secure and well paid.
We are a union fighting back wherever we are. All our strategies start with our own strength – the strength built on the courage and commitment of E tū members.
Coming up
This year is a conference year. Every two years, our highest decision-making body, the Biennial Conference, meets to network, learn, and make decisions about our future. The Conference this year is to be held in July, in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. It is made up of delegates from across our union, representing every industry, every region, our youth, Pasifika, Women and Māori members. The conference theme this year is also E tū, ururoatia! Stand up, fight back! We will build on the work we are already doing and look to a future of decent work for all.
We’re pleased to announce that our union leaders have been elected unopposed for their positions.
National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh, and our Presidents Muriel Tunoho and Gadiel Asiata, will continue to serve the E tū membership and uphold our E tū values.
