Unions joined forces on May Day to fight back against the ongoing attack on workers’ rights under the current Government. The senior doctors’ union is not ruling out further industrial action, following the nationwide health strike. Stats NZ is likely to report official unemployment has edged up to at least 5.2% when it releases the March quarter numbers on Wednesday. The Public Service Association (PSA) is urging the Auditor General to investigate proposed job cuts to crucial anti-fraud roles at Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. The ERA found that Lyttleton Port Company acted unlawfully by excluding MUNZ and RMTU from the early development of a proposal to disestablish 35 roles.
Union coverage
- Unions join on May Day to call for recognition of workers’ rights
- ASMS, NZNO: Health Minister Simeon Brown to speak amid nationwide healthcare strike
- ASMS: Senior doctors not ruling out more strike action over ongoing pay disagreement
- ASMS: Health NZ taking striking medical union to Employment Relations Authority as negotiations stall
- PSA:; Pharmac’s move to drop Māori Directorate slammed by union as ‘another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi’
- PSA: Public Service Association calls for investigation into cuts to Te Whatu Ora anti-fraud roles
- NZPFU: Fire and Emergency NZ breached firefighter’s privacy by accessing his personal bank account
- MUNZ, RMTU: ERA tells Lyttelton Port to consult unions first on job losses
- RMTU: Rail freight will be less viable without Aratere ferry, critics say
Employment
- Unemployment expected to edge up to 5.2% or 5.3%
- Truckie wins payout after boss fires him for punching colleague
- Sir Brian Roche take reins for bargaining with principals, teachers
Politics
- Education Minister launches new Parent Portal
- ‘Critical’ $2b Defence Force maritime helicopter replacements announced
- ACT’s David Seymour wants to slash ‘bloated’ ministerial line-up
- Hundreds gather in Dunedin for protest against proposed gender legislation
- Public service boss: Sector ‘not as politicised’ as some say
- The battle for the political narrative
Te Ao Māori
- Iwi-Crown relations on the line after scathing audit
- Regulatory Standards Bill claim accepted for urgency by Waitangi Tribunal with 12,000 claimants signed on
Economics
- Supermarket shoppers in regional NZ missing out, Consumer NZ says
- Solid forecast for agriculture exports, despite tariffs
- Companies, directors fined $1.6m for altering tallow for profit
- Westpac bank fined $3.25 million over its historic breaches
- AgrizeroNZ puts millions into start-up reducing methane emissions