representing a wide range of members throughout many industries.
The Amalgamated Workers Union NZ is an amalgamation of a number of unions which cover a wide span of worksites within all industries in the cities and towns our union operates in.
AWUNZ services available to its members:
Health & Safety
Agreement Negotiations
Personal Grievance Hearings
Accident Compensation Reviews and Hearings
Disputes Hearings and Resolution
Legal Services
TMFNZ: Trauma, Medical, Insurance and Financial Services
Union and Community Medical Centre
TMFNZ Insurance
Health & Safety
Agreement Negotiations
Personal Grievance Hearings
Accident Compensation Reviews and Hearings
Disputes Hearings and Resolution
Legal Services
TMFNZ: Trauma, Medical, Insurance and Financial Services
Union and Community Medical Centre
TMFNZ Insurance
A bit of history...
During the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s Unions and Construction Workers improved wages and conditions in the Industry to what can only be described as amongst the best in Australasia.
They were so good; Employers in the Industry lobbied the Bolger-led National Government to introduce the Employment Contracts Act (ECA). It wasn’t the Bolger Government that wrote the ECA but representatives of the major Construction companies.
The outcome of the ECA was that three decades of gain by Construction workers was totally destroyed with the demise of National Awards and the introduction of Individual Agreements that Employer’s used to defeat the benefits of Collective Bargaining.
In the 1980’s, Construction Workers were amongst the highest paid workers in New Zealand.
Aussie Unions used to come to NZ to learn how we were so successful. In those days, Labourers Union members (AWUNZ) had the best conditions around.
Amongst those conditions were;
Minimum40 hour week – 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday
Travel time
Travel costs
Double time
Time and a Half
Clothing issues
Boots supplied
All tools supplied
Not working in the rain
Don’t assume that Construction workers were the only ones affected by the ECA – all workers were!
In general, most workers in NZ surrendered to the promises and the bullying of Employers.
In the 1980’s our wages were on par with Australia.
Now, we are way behind, up to 40%.
There is only one solution to this deterioration that will continue as the government brings in laws that will further grow the gap between New Zealand’s and Australia’s wages; and the gap between the rich and poorer members of society.