9 Nov 2017  -  There are major changes afoot at New Zealand’s biggest union.  FIRST Union, which represents 27,500 New Zealanders in the retail, finance, transport and logistics sectors, will bid farewell to its president, general secretary and retail and finance secretary in Auckland on Thursday.  The union cites recent wins in taking on Cotton On over the soon-to-be-repealed “tea break law”, advocating on behalf of migrant workers and the victims of education trafficking, and for working with communities to help keep bank branches open.

“The outgoing leadership team and I are proud that, after nine years of a National government, our membership grew by 28 per cent,” said outgoing general secretary Robert Reid, who will take up the president’s position.

“We’ve negotiated an average wage increases of 3 per cent for our members, an increase well above the national average over this time.”

President Syd Keepa, retail and finance secretary Maxine Gay and national organiser Bill Bradford are moving on.

The new FIRST leadership team begins their four-year term immediately.

They include general secretary Dennis Maga, assistant general secretary Louisa Jones, retail and finance secretary Tali Williams and transport and logistics secretary Jared Abbott.

| A nznewswire release  || November 9, 2017  |||