Workers First Union

A table that compares starting pay rates, 6 month and 1 year pay rates, and various other benefits across Kmart, Woolworths and Three Pak'nSave stores: Kilbirnie, Royal Oak and Richmond. Kmart scores the best overall, then Pak'nSave Kilbirnie and Woolworths, though Pak'nSave Royal Oak has all benefits (but lower pay rates). Notable is the differences between different Pak'nSave stores, with Kilbirnie scoring so high, and Richmond being by far the lowers, with substantially lower pay and none of the benefits.

Comparing NZ supermarket pay and benefits.

Kmart & Woolworths employees all enjoy the same pay and conditions across NZ. Pak'nSave/Foodstuffs employees have variable pay and conditions depending on employer and bargaining strength.

Join your union and win better pay and conditions!

If you're a member, check with your delegate or organiser if you are eligible for a footwear allowance.

If your agreement does not cover footwear, and you are incurring a lot of footwear costs, why not put it on the agenda for the next round of bargaining?

a image of a one sports shoe and work boot with the text "DID YOU KNOW: Many of our members have successfully bargained for footwear allowances."

How much do you spend on work footwear?

Union members don't *only* bargain for wages, they bargain for all sorts of costs to be carried or shared by the employer. A lot of our members who require safety footwear or spend a lot of time standing have successfully bargained for footwear allowances.

text reading "6. Bereavement leave. Five days leave for bereavement of close family, partners, children, whāngai family members, miscarriage and stillbirth." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 19"

text reading "7. Higher duty allowance. When filling the absence of manager for more than 1 week." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 45.5"

a 'sticker' style image reads "new!" text reading "8. Salary managers' pay table. Workers First Union now negotiates for all Salary Managers at Cotton On." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 45.9 ...and more!"

(3/3) 8 clauses that members have bargained for at #CottonOn.
Only Workers First union members are entitled to:

text reading "3. Redundancy pay. Up to 14 weeks (3 months) redundancy pay, e.g. if a store closes down." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 46"

text reading "4. Overtime Pay T 1.5. One and a half of your pay rate, when working more than 8 hours for a shift." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 44"

text reading "5. Meal allowance. A meal allowance of $16.75, when you work 2+ hours past your scheduled finish time." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 45.6"

(2/3) 8 clauses that members have bargained for at #CottonOn.
Only Workers First union members are entitled to:

An illustration of a cotton on worker with the text "8 clauses that members have bargaining for at: Cotton on. Only workers First union members are entitled to"

text reading "1. Pay increases. Pay increases every year for everyone - Retail Team Members and Salary Managers - in line with inflation/cost of living increases." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 45.1"

text reading "2. Permanent hours. If you work a consistent set of hours for more than 3 months, those hours will be made permanent upon request." small text reads "Collective Agreement clause 41.2 e & f"

(1/3) 8 clauses that members have bargained for at #CottonOn.
Only Workers First union members are entitled to:

Can your employer stop you drinking water? A union says it's had to take on a number of retail chain stores over employees' rights to have a drink bottle at work.

We were approached by RNZ in response to a Reddit thread with comments from New World workers saying that they were being stopped from having drink bottles accessible.

Workers First has successfully dealt with this issue in the past and will keep doing so.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

text reading "Are you easily able to access drinking water at work?"

Are you being stopped from accessing and drinking water at your workplace?

Access to drinking water is a basic health and safety right and Workers First union WILL pursue breaches of this standard on behalf of our members. If you are being denied access, please contact your organiser.

Delegates are worksite legends - recruiting members, dealing with day-to-day issues, representing members, advising members of workplace rights, ensuring that health and safety is a priority, and working with members to improve the employment conditions on site.

Interested? Talk to your organiser.

A mockup of a stack of Workers First delegate education modules, one of them open. text on top reads "delegate education"

Delegates, we have just updated our delegate modules/booklets on our website.

These contain heaps of useful information about situations like bargaining, representing members, health and safety, employment legislation, and more!

Find them at: www.workersfirst.nz/delegate-edu...

text reading "UnionAID recognises that our challenges are connected to those faced by workers in the Asia-Pacific region. If you can, consider becoming a UnionAID Solidarity Member (regular donor) by 31 October 2025 and go in the draw for a seven night Fiji trip, thanks to House of Travel! tinyurl.com/workers-aid"

Supporting all workers!

Thanks to House of Travel, @unionaid.bsky.social Solidarity members (regular donors) who are active on 31 Oct 2025 go in the prize draw for return trips to Fiji for seven nights, including accom 😱

More info and to become a UnionAID solidarity member: tinyurl.com/workers-aid

text reading "Sick leave changes, the facts: - Part-time workers lose their minimum sick leave entitlement. - It will be a few years until these changes come into practical effect. - If your Collective Agreement contains sick leave entitlements, then they are safe. Join your union now!"

A photo of Dennis Maga, Workers First General Secretary, on the Good Morning show, with text on top reading ""No matter what hours you work, everyone is prone to getting sick, and especially those with kids who are more likely to be in part-time work""

The Government's announced sick day legislation changes strip minimum leave entitlements from part time workers.

The changes will take a few years to come into practical effect, and union members with sick leave entitlements stated in Collective Agreements will not be affected. Join your union!

text reading "DID YOU KNOW THAT, AS OF RECENTLY: You cannot be disciplined for, or stopped from, talking about your pay rate. Thanks to Labour MP Camilla Belich’s 2025 Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill."

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.

a photo of smiling and strong people marching with placards saying "women are worth it" and other handwritten signs. Text on top reads "Women's Day of Action. Thousands of working wāhine took to Aotearoa's streets."

A photo of Camilla Belich and Julie Anne Genter in front of parliament. Text reads "Green and Labour MP's made commitments to reinstate Pay Equity in Aotearoa."

On Saturday thousands of working wāhine rallied against this Government's pay equity cuts 💪

Green and Labour MP's made commitments to reinstate Pay Equity in Aotearoa - you don't need to take to streets to support the wāhine in your life. Just VOTE. You can check that you are enrolled at enrol.nz

A map of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand with dots and locations for all the events that are happening. They are: WHANGAREI 11:30AM - 1:30PM LAURIE HALL PARK HAMILTON 11AM - 1PM ROTOTUNA HIGH SCHOOLS NEW PLYMOUTH 12PM - 2PM PUKE ARIKI LANDING LEVIN 10AM - 2PM TAITOKO LEVIN VILLAGE GREEN PORIRUA 10AM - 12PM TE RAUPARAHA PARK WELLINGTON 10:30AM - 1 PM STARTS: MIDLAND PARK AUCKLAND 11:30AM - 3PM AUT TO BRITOMART THAMES 10:30AM - 11:30AM CNR POLLEN AND PAHAU ST TAURANGA 10:30AM - 1:30PM MT DRURY RESERVE WHAKATÄNE 11AM - 12PM THE GAP GISBORNE 10:30AM GLADSTONE RD TOWN CLOCK NAPIER FROM 11AM SOUNDSHELL PALMERSTON NORTH 1PM - 3PM THE SQUARE WAIRARAPA 11:30AM - 1PM TOWN HALL SQUARE, MASTERTON

A map of the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand with dots and locations for all the events that are happening. They are: NELSON 10:30AM - 1:30PM BURGER KING/LIBRARY CARPARK GREYMOUTH 12PM - 2PM DIXON PARK CHRISTCHURCH 10AM - 12:30PM VICTORIA SQUARE TIMARU 9AM - 12:30PM ARTISAN MARKET DUNEDIN 11AM - 2PM MARKET RESERVE GORE FROM 12PM ECCLES ST PLAYGROUND INVERCARGILL 11AM - 2PM GALA STREET

Locations for the #WomensDayOfAction this Saturday, September 20. See you there whānau!

www.together.org.nz/women_s_day_...

132 years ago we became the first to secure women’s right to vote – we will rise up again to demand Pay Equity.

@nzctu.bsky.social #RiseUpForPayEquity #ProtectPayEquity

Did you know: Many Workers First members have collectively bargained for Tangihanga (aka Tangi) leave. This usually makes members eligible for additional paid leave if they have cultural responsibilities in relation to a death. Tangihanga are traditional Māori funeral rites which last multiple days.

the Te Wiki o te reo māori logo/icons with text reading "50 years Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 14-20 o Hepetama 2025 Māori Language Week 14-20 September 2025"

This week is the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week).

Head to reomaori.co.nz and leave a message in their time capsule, check out their beginner te reo resources, and see how many of the 50 wero/challenges you can complete.

#reomāori

A bunch of digital stickers, post-it notes and new union posters stuck against a flat red background in the Workers First Union colours, to look like a noticeboard.

New posters!

Download them now for your own reference or to put on your union noticeboard* at work:
www.workersfirst.nz/first.../not...

*If you don’t have a union noticeboard you may need to seek permission from your employer to put up posters. Talk to a union rep or organiser if you are unsure.

A little icon featuring the "locked out" podcast logo, with an illustration of craig renney examining the beehive with an intense expression. text reads: "Podcast suggestion: Locked Out with Craig Renney Episode 21 featuring Workers First delegate Harry Robson."

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

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill: A catastrophe for workers. #nzpol

text reading "sanction israel now, march the bridge, sat 13 sep 9.30am"

Aucklanders, join us at the 'Sanction Israel Now' bridge march this Saturday!

13th September, 9.30am, assembling at (NEW LOCATION!) Onepoto Domain, Northcote Point. Follow @aotearoaforpal for updates.

#marchthebridge #palestine

An illustration of a colourful 'delegate of the year' luchador with a raised fist. On his coat it says "delegate of the year 2025" with the workers first union logo, and underneath it says"who's the unsung hero in your workplace?"

Workers First members, we’re calling for your nominations for Delegate of the Year, 2024/25!

Send us a private message telling us about your Delegate of the Year, by 10 October 2025. Please provide as much information as possible about your Delegate of the Year’s achievements and accomplishments.

an illustration of a raised fist with the text "33,000 strong" below, and the workers first union logo.

33,000 workers, stronger together!

Truck drivers under pressure to break the law and deliver on time In a highly competitive market of about 5000 road freight businesses, drivers are under huge pressure to do the work within legal driving and break times, their union says.

"Workers First Union organiser Lance Gush said drivers were under immense pressure to make their deliveries in the allocated time. But often that was unachievable within their legal driving hour limits and mandated breaks..."

www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

an illustration of a stickman, with a raised fist, holding a sign saying "stickman's being a dick, man" Text next to them says "Support Pak'nSave Richmond Workers! Petition link in comments."

Pak'nSave Richmond members have launched a petition seeking fair wage increases and fair treatment.

Sign now and show your support for these workers:
www.together.org.nz/support_rich...

Richmond is just *one* example of the failings of the Foodstuffs (Pak'nSave + New World parent company) model.

a photo of a group of people in the Christchurch streets holding union banners and signs

Tautoko to E tū union members at Stuff who took strike action last week over low pay and an attempt to divide the existing workforce into different collective agreements. Workers First representatives joined the picket line in Christchurch (image).

Kia kaha to Stuff media workers 💪
#nzpol

Since the election, we have
- 6,627 job losses in manufacturing
- 17,636 job losses in construction
- 6,000 job losses in retail
- 8,140 job losses in food & accommodation
- 5,184 job losses in Professional, Scientific & Technical Servs
- 3,008 job losses in IT & communications

Workplace safety reforms risk another Pike River, officials warned Documents reveal critical flaws in proposed safety reforms, with officials warning the changes could create legal loopholes and risk another tragedy.

It’s the height of negligence and shows why the ACT Party should be nowhere near Government. Get back to your think-tanks and lobbying firms and stay out of our workplaces! (3/3)

This Government apparently doesn’t care if more workers die on the job in New Zealand as long as we maintain the sanctity of the ‘endless profit’ model for business and cut the ‘red tape’ that protects lives at work. (2/3)

Brooke Van Velden plans to gut Worksafe and leave it as an agency that “offers guidance” to businesses rather than enforcing workplace health and safety laws and prosecuting breaches... (1/3)