The E tū delegation at the Labour Conference with some E tū member Labour MPs
As 2023 will be a General Election year, the Labour Party Annual Conference 2022 was all about setting the scene for the campaign ahead. The 23-person strong E tū delegation left the event pumped up and ready for action.
E tū and our legacy unions have been involved in Labour Party democracy since the party was formed over a hundred years ago. It’s an important way for workers to have our voices heard at the highest levels of decision-making in Aotearoa, and we use the opportunity to fight for the rights of workers, our families, and our wider communities.
At this year’s conference, E tū and other unions championed some really important policy, including a transformational remit to create a new institution to oversee Fair Pay Agreements and other workplace relations issues.
Neil McCarthy, E tū delegate and chef who lives in Taihape, has been representing E tū in Labour Party democracy for many years. He had another great conference.
“My favourite part of the conference was the unions coming together and working together not only for the party, but the greater good of all workers and unions,” Neil says.
“Watching the democracy and progress of the whole weekend was just awesome.”
Neil says it’s as important as ever that E tū is involved with the Labour Party.
“Our union and the Labour Party are cut from the same cloth and grew out of the issues and struggles that are still relevant to this day. We have had some great wins, particularly the introduction of Fair Pay Agreements, which will address many of the problems we have had since National passed the Employment Contracts Act in 1991.
“We need Labour back in next time to keep building on the good stuff and to stop National getting in and undoing all of our hard work.”
