#nzpol Migration data from Stats NZ today with 72,700 New Zealand citizens leaving in the year to Sept 2025 – one every 7 minutes & 22 seconds. It’s improved marginally, but it's way behind where it should be on Treasury forecasts. That creates a $1bn tax gap against forecast. A 🧵

1/4 UNION MOVEMENT STANDS WITH PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS: At our Conference last month, affiliate unions of the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi passed a motion of solidarity with with public sector workers who are who are fighting for fair pay, safe staffing, and effective services. #nzpol

#nzpol NO SURPRISE UNEMPLOYMENT AT AN ALL TIME HIGH writes NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Sandra Grey:

Thank you to everyone who came to our Biennial Conference this week! Great korero about how we can build an Aotearoa that works for the many, and keep up the fight for workers and their unions both here and overseas. Solidarity ✊ #nzpol

Yesterday was Richard Wagstaff's last day as CTU President. Over the last 10 years, he’s led with humility, strength, and an unwavering belief in people. His leadership has been grounded in deep compassion and faith in our collective strength. We wish him the best in his retirement. #nzpol

Today Sandra Grey became President of the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi. She sat down with outgoing President Richard Wagstaff to talk about about the role, the growth of the unions, the future of the movement, and the power of working people. #nzpol

“WE OWE IT TO WORKING PEOPLE TO BE OUR BEST” Today is Richard Wagstaff’s last day as President of the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi. He sat down with incoming President Sandra Grey, and they spoke about the importance of centering working people in their mahi. Full interview will be posted tomorrow. #nzpol

1/2 Outgoing CTU President Richard Wagstaff speaking with his predecessor Helen Kelly. Today marks the last day of Richard's presidency, in which he’s been a fierce defender for working people, health and safety, and strong unions. #nzpol

1/5 A NEW DEAL FOR WORKERS: Today the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi announced the core policies workers need from any future progressive Government. Workers need GOOD WORK, FAIR WAGES, and STRONG UNIONS. These are the non-negotiables. #nzpol

"Rā Whakamana is about recognising the mana of our wāhine, our workers, our rangatahi and tangata whenua, and coming together to create kotahitanga, strength and unity against this government and the attacks that are happening across all fronts," #nzpol

Unions are made of workers

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our public service workers today ✊ #nzpol

#nzpol Rally in your rohe get cancelled? NZNO and NZEI Te Riu Roa will be livestreaming the Auckland rally and speeches. Tune in to hear from frontline workers, union leaders, and community voices standing together to save our public services. www.facebook.com/share/1D5LRN...

#nzpol I never thought that I would see the day when the Public Service Commission was used as an attack arm of the government. National Party polling must be telling them how popular the strikes are, and how unpopular they are. They are afraid. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

#nzpol International solidarity for today’s mega strike ✊🇬🇧

#nzpol International solidarity for today’s strikes from the U.K’s General Federation of Trade Unions ✊ Some rallies have been cancelled but the STRIKES ARE STILL ON—check the Public Service Association’s page for more details: www.psa.org.nz/campaigns/23...

Read the full release: union.org.nz/inflation-ri...

Today marks 53 years, over half a century, since we passed the Equal Pay Act in New Zealand... but the Luxon Government has taken us backwards. #nzpol

Richard Wagstaff on Collins' open letter: "The Government consistently demonstrates they are out of touch with the realities of workers...Previous National-led governments have found ways through industrial disputes in the past. We need to see leadership not politics from this Government." #nzpol

#nzpol CTU Secretary @melansellbridges.bsky.social had a thing or two to say to Minister Judith Collins after her open letter on Sunday.

✊🏼 @nzctu.bsky.social #nzpol

DIRE EMERGENCY 2,000 New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union members walked off the job across the motu today to fight for safe staffing, working equipment, and better conditions. The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi stands with the NZPFU in their fight to keep our communities safe. #nzpol

#BREAKING Rā Whakamana locations have just DROPPED. On the 28th of October we're gathering across the motu as iwi and unions to mark the signing of He Whakaputanga and the first Labour Day. Go to together.org.nz to find an event in your rohe and sign up for email updates. #nzpol

“We’ve just gone through winter, and in winter the power bills are a lot higher. Some of our clients are beneficiaries, and while they get the winter energy payment, the power bills have kept going up, the energy payment hasn’t moved,” #nzpol

#nzpol 1/3 The 2025 “Work for Free” calendar shines a harsh light on pay inequity for women and marginalised communities across Aotearoa. Each year, these dates symbolise when women and many ethnic groups effectively stop being paid compared to Pākehā men.

#nzpol HUGE WIN for the Living Wage Movement as it's decided that Government-contracted cleaners, security guards, and catering workers will KEEP their Living Wage. This a testament to organising power in action ✊

We're taking our power back. Sign our open letter to bring Aotearoa New Zealand's energy market back into public ownership. #nzpol

#nzpol #BREAKING 1/4 A new poll released by the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi and the PSA shows that the coalition's attack on pay equity could cost them the Beehive in next year's election. www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

#nzpol A group of 20 senior economists including the NZCTU's Craig Renney has written to the Finance Minister and Prime Minister warning that the government’s economic strategy is failing and is causing “long-term harm” to communities across New Zealand.

#nzpol Sometimes a policy is so stupid it makes you question the very fabric of reality. Decisions so fabulously, almost wantonly dumb, you wonder if we actually live in a simulation. Welcome to the world of removing Jobseeker Support for 18 & 19-year-olds. craigrenney.substack.com/p/a-small-wr...

#nzpol LARGEST STRIKE IN DECADES: More than 11,500 health workers and about 40,000 primary school teachers have voted to walk off the job on the same day - and thousands more may join them. The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi 100% backs our affiliate unions in advancing their collective agreements.

1/6 NO POWER IN GOVT ELECTRICITY REFORMS: CTU Economist @clrenney.bsky.social on today's energy announcement. 🧵 #nzpol

#nzpol CTU Economist @clrenney.bsky.social on The Panel last night: "The best energy systems around the world are publicly owned. In NZ, are you feeling the benefits of partial privatisation in your electricity bill or in the economy or in wider society? The answer to all those three things is no."

Snap poll on The Panel: Should the power grid be nationalised? Yes 91.8% No 8.2% #NZPol

TAKING OUR POWER BACK: NZCTU Economist @clrenney.bsky.social spoke in front of Parliament this morning about our plan to deliver affordable energy in New Zealand by bringing our electricity back into public ownership. #nzpol

#nzpol The CTU has today released its report on electricity in NZ. We are calling for electricity generators to be brought back into public ownership - and to recognise electricity for what it really is - a public utility - not just a source of profit. 🧵 www.reimagineaotearoa.nz/publicly_own...

1/5 #BREAKING We are calling on political parties to adopt our new policy to bring Aotearoa’s electricity system back into public ownership. It’s time to take our power back. #nzpol

#nzpol Monthly employment data - and there are 4,814 more jobs than this time last month! Whoop. Only 42,746 to go to get us to where we were at the last election. 62 jobs lost every single day of this government, one roughly every 23 minutes. A 🧵

On Saturday 20th September the AWC team marched at the Woman's Day of Action, March for Pay Equity. The reason for this march was simple: pay equity is NOT optional. Women-dominated work professions such as support workers, nurses and teachers are continuously undervalued and underpaid

You cannot be disciplined for, or stopped from, talking about your pay rate. Not only that, your employer also can't refuse to offer you a promotion or disadvantage you in any way on the basis of you talking about your pay. Thanks to Camilla Belich’s 2025 Employment Relations Amendment Bill.

The @nzctu.bsky.social’s @melansellbridges.bsky.social at the Women’s Day of Action yesterday. The New Zealand government has cancelled $12.8 billion worth of pay equity claims for low paid women to fund tax cuts for landlords and tobacco companies.

#nzpol Me aro koe ki te hā o Hine-ahu-one. Respect us. Value us. Pay us. This was the message that came from thousands of New Zealanders today, as we gathered across the motu to celebrate wāhine and fight back against the Government’s horrendous attacks on pay equity.

#nzpol “[CTU Secretary Mellissa] Ansell-Bridges said this was "more than a protest — it is a celebration of the women who nurture, lead, and resist". "It honours the suffrage legacy and amplifies our collective power to shape the future." www.1news.co.nz/2025/09/20/p...

#nzpol “I think this government needs to stop and really take a look at the people, and work for the people that they're representing, because they're working for their big buddies with big money, they're not working for society.” www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

#nzpol Big turnout for the Women’s Day of Action for pay equity. Billions of dollars have been stolen from low-paid female dominated workforces. This government can find huge tax cuts for tobacco companies, landlords, and big businesses - but not fair pay. That must change.

In a historic first, iwi leaders and unions have united to call for mass mobilisations against the Government on the 28th of October. Rā Whakamana will affirm tino rangatiratanga and workers' rights and mark He Whakaputanga and the first Labour Day in Aotearoa.

#nzpol NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to help the Tokoroa community after Carter Holt Harvey confirmed the likely closure of the plywood plant in the town. union.org.nz/tokoroa-cant...

#nzpol The minimum wage increased 1.5% this year. Data from Stats NZ shows: - Food prices up 5% - Fruit & Veg up 8.9% - Meat up 9.4% - Bread up 9.5% (white sliced up 41.7%) - Cheese up 14.3% - Milk up 15% - Electricity up 11.4% Laser focused on the cost of living www.stats.govt.nz/information-...

Podcast rec: Locked Out with @clrenney.bsky.social In ep 21 Craig sits down with RMTU Organiser Mark Wilson and Workers First Delegate Harry Robson to discuss the potential sale of Lyttelton Port - about the transfer of wealth from public to finance sector. Wherever you listen to pods. #nzpol #bhn