On the 23rd of October the NZ Council of Trade Unions, which represents 360,000 New Zealand workers in 27 unions, are hosting meetings across the country to fight back against the Government’s ongoing cutbacks and attacks.
NZNO members will be there, standing alongside other working people to send a strong message to those in power. We'll be standing together on 23 October for health care, for fairness and for Te Tiriti.
When working people unite and use our collective strength, we bring people together and transform society for the better. Unions and workers have a proud history of creating change and NZNO members joining these hui on 23 October will be an important part of that.
Find out more at the official website: Fight Back Together Maranga Ake
FAQs for NZNO members
- NZNO sent notices on 3 October to all NZNO employers notifying them that these union meetings have been organised and are to be held pursuant to section 26 of the Employment Relations Act 2000. As such, NZNO members are entitled to attend the meeting in their location without loss of pay.
- If you are planning to attend as a paid union meeting you also have the right to half an hour of travel time each side of the one hour meeting.
- If you are rostered to work at the time of the meeting, and there is a meeting you can access within the allocated travel time, please advise your employer that you are planning to attend the meeting as a paid union meeting.
- If you are not rostered to work at the time of the meeting you are still encouraged to attend, however, you will not be paid.
- As NZNO members at Waikato Hospital recently held a section 26 meeting a notice was not sent to this employer.
- We will be arranging buses/minivans in some major locations, we will let members know where this option is available.
Are there online meetings?
No. This is a CTU event and it was a decision from CTU affiliates collectively not to hold online meetings.
What should I do if the travel time won’t allow me to reach my meeting and return within 2 hours? Eg should I spend 45mins travelling each way and only 30 at the meeting, or just not attend the meeting?
Discuss this with your employer. The obligation is only to be paid for two hours, but the meeting itself can run over and you must return to work “as soon as reasonably practical”. Members should know that if they’re gone for 2 ½ hours (as in this example) the employer only has to pay them for 2 hours.
What if I need less than 2hrs for travel time and meeting?
You are only permitted to be away from work for travel time and meeting time. If this is less than two hours then you must return to work.
Do I need to sign in at the meeting?
Yes. Unions are required to provide proof of attendance if employers request this. There will be QR codes at the meetings and NZNO will receive the list of members who have scanned in. Please make sure you use the QR code while you are there.
Do I have to take my lunch break as part of the meeting or during the travel time?
No. This should be arranged at a separate time and is unpaid.
If it was your rostered day off for the stop work meeting would you still get paid?
No. You are still encouraged to attend but you will not be paid if you were not rostered to work.
Staff have been told that they need to find cover to attend S26 meetings
Staff do not need to find cover. However, a delegate is a representative of the Union so the employer may legitimately have a conversation with the delegate about how operations may be maintained. There may be disruption and reduced service/output for the employer.
Can my employer require me to stay at work if it’s busy? Eg I’m a theatre nurse and my manager advises if I go to the meeting patients surgery will be delayed two hours, therefore they are unable to release me.
A delay of service to attend a S26 meeting is reasonable. If the surgery wasn’t able to go ahead at all, then the employer could not release the member.
Maranga Ake! Fight Back Together, Wednesday 23 October
Whangārei
Laurie Hall Park, 12-1pm
Auckland
Aotea Square, 12-1pm
Hamilton
Garden Place, 12-1pm
Mt Maunganui
Hopukiore (Mount Drury) Reserve, 1-2pm
New Plymouth
Huatoki Plaza, 12-1pm
Palmerston North
Arena 5 - Barbers Hall, 12.30-1.30pm
Wellington
Parliament Grounds, 1-2pm
Nelson
Trafalgar Centre, 1.30-2.30pm
Greymouth
Regent Theatre, 3.30-4.30pm
Christchurchhttps://assets.nationbuilder.com/nzno/pages/1932/attachments/original/1729547291/locations_2_-_Updated_14_10.jpg?1729547291
Addington Raceway, 12.30-1.30pm
Dunedin
Octagon – Upper, 12-1pm
Invercargill
Greenspace – corner Elles Rd and Tay St, 2-3pm
