A Guide from NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi

“We must always fight for social advance and political change — we live in an unfair and unequal world so trade unions must always be immersed in campaigning for a better society.”
Mick Lynch

Trade unions exist to improve the lives of working people. Through organising, campaigning and lobbying, we have won better wages, safer workplaces, better leave provisions and stronger public services. But it also means changing the laws and policies that shape our economy and society.

Lobbying is one way we do that. It is how working people make sure political decisions are not made only by corporations and wealthy interests.

Lobbying is about broadening participation in democracy and making sure working people’s voices are heard in the places where decisions are made. When more good ideas are heard, especially those coming from workers and communities, democracy works better.

The most important step is getting started. The more you engage with decision-makers, the more confident and effective you will become.

Who Do We Lobby?

Lobbying is engaging with people who have real or perceived power to influence decisions.

For example, when you raise issues in your workplace that becomes part of your collective agreement, you’ve successfully lobbied for change.

When you post a video to your social media about an issue that matters to you, that’s lobbying. When you share a campaign or petition, that’s also lobbying.

In an election year, it’s important that the issues that matter to you are heard by those seeking power.

Who to lobby?

Politicians: local councillors, Members of Parliament, Ministers
Policy makers: political party officials and activists, caucus researchers, and government department officials
Local and regional government leaders
Media: can raise awareness and influence public debate. They especially love compelling personal stories.
Employers or senior managers within organisations

Lobbying isn’t limited to formal meetings. It can happen through conversations, public debate, written submissions, community organising, and media engagement.

Anyone Can Lobby

One of the strengths of Aotearoa New Zealand is that our political system is pretty accessible. MPs, councillors, and officials are generally easy to contact, and people can make their voices heard.

However, there is a growing imbalance.

Corporate interests can afford professional lobbyists and government relations advisors. If lobbying is left only to those with the deepest pockets, democracy becomes distorted.

Trade unions exist to ensure working people are not shut out of political decision-making. And it’s not just the union officials that can lobby. Anyone can.

Why Should You Lobby

Lobbying should not be the domain of a privileged few.

The most effective lobbying combines personal persuasion with collective action.

Trade unions succeed when we combine:

clear arguments
organised workers
public support

Many successful campaigns rely on tapping into public sentiment and community support, not just technical policy arguments.

For example, the proposal to allow mining in national parks was defeated through large public protests supported by coordinated lobbying and campaigning.

Often unions and community organisations are on the side of the public interest, but struggle to be heard. The challenge is learning how to lobby strategically with the resources we have.

How to Lobby

Set a clear goal

Be specific about what you want to achieve.

A good goal is:

clear
measurable
achievable

Know in advance what compromises you could accept if the full goal cannot be achieved.

Research the issue

Before lobbying decision-makers, understand the issue thoroughly.

Ask questions such as:

What is wrong with the current situation?
What problems or harms are being caused?
What laws or policies are currently in place?
What evidence supports the change you are proposing?

Use credible research, reports, and evidence. Vibes don’t cut it and can minimise your argument.

Frame your proposal as a real solution to a real problem.

Identify your allies

Change rarely happens alone.

Identify like-minded organisations, unions, community groups, or respected individuals who support the same goal. Their voices can strengthen your case.

Identify your target

Who actually has the power to make the change?

This could be:

a Minister
a government department
a council
a political party
an employer

You may also need to influence secondary targets who can help persuade the main decision-maker.

Understand your target

Research the people you are lobbying.

Find out:

what they have previously said about the issue
what their priorities are
what pressures they face

Frame your proposal in ways that connect with their responsibilities and interests.

Build public support

Public opinion strengthens lobbying efforts.

Tools can include:

polling
surveys
community engagement
petitions
public meetings

Decision-makers are more likely to act when they see an issue matters to the public.

Practice your message

Before meeting a decision maker, test your message with trusted colleagues.

Make sure your argument is:

clear
concise
persuasive

Use the media

Media coverage can reinforce lobbying efforts by highlighting the importance of the issue.

Seeing a topic in the news can encourage decision makers to act and can provide political cover for change.

Keep going

Successful lobbying usually requires persistence.

One meeting or email rarely changes policy on its own. Effective campaigns involve sustained effort and multiple strategies.

Meeting with MPs

Meeting elected representatives can be a powerful way to influence policy.

Here are some useful tips.

Bring real voices

Take a colleague or union member with you where possible.
Personal stories from people affected by an issue are often more persuasive than abstract arguments.

Meet in a comfortable setting

MPs often feel most comfortable meeting in their own offices, especially for initial meetings.

Respect their time

Meetings are usually short as MPs calendars are usually very full. At most you will get around 30 minutes, but usually 10-15 minutes.
Check how much time is available and rework your approach accordingly.

Keep it conversational

Avoid long lectures.
Spend a few minutes outlining the issue, then encourage discussion and questions.

Use real examples

Ground your arguments in practical experience.
Explain how the issue affects workers, families, communities, or workplaces.

Stay calm and focused

Not every MP will agree with you. Maintain your calm!
Remain respectful and focus on the strongest evidence and arguments.

Follow up

After the meeting, send a short email or message thanking the MP for their time and responding to any issues they raised.

Understanding MPs

A few things are useful to remember when engaging with MPs.

Their Executive Assistants manage their lives. Meetings usually need to be arranged through them.
MPs have areas of expertise. They know some issues deeply but have limited knowledge of others.
Media attention matters. Issues that attract public attention often move higher on the political agenda.
The Party Line is real. MPs may personally agree with you but still vote according to their party position.
They are human. Like anyone else, they have families, interests, and personal motivations.

Using Union Policy and Research

You are not alone when lobbying decision-makers.

Unions often have:

policy papers
campaign materials
research reports
position statements

These resources can strengthen your argument and show that your proposal reflects the collective voice of workers.

Evaluating Your Lobbying Strategy

It can be useful to step back and assess your approach.

Use the following questions to guide your planning.

Lobby Self-Evaluation: Seven Steps

What is your lobbying goal?
What information and evidence do you have about the issue?
What specific change are you seeking?
Why are you the right organisation to advocate for this change?
Who opposes the change, and why?
What lobbying strategies have you already tried?
What are the next steps in your campaign?

Lobbying preparation checklist & worksheet

Preparation checklist

Decide who you will meet with.
Call their office to make an appointment.
Decide who is going to speak and what they will say. Include your personal stories, the key messages, why they should ask for.
Write your notes down and practice what you want to say with another union member or a friend or family member.

Preparation worksheet

The MP/minister you will lobby is:

What do they care about?

Key points you want to make:

Facts, arguments, and personal experiences to support this:

What you want them to commit to:

Debrief sheet

1. Which MP/minister did you visit?

2. Who went with you?

3. What points did you make?

4. What did they say in response?

5. What did they commit to doing?

6. In your opinion, how supportive were they?
(1 = VERY supportive, 5 = not very supportive)

1 2 3 4 5

7. Is there anything you need to do to follow up this visit?