10 January 2006

Ambitious plans to unionise Māori workers in the public service developed

Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina, the organisation representing Māori members of the Public Service Association held its bi-annual Congress at Hongoeka Marae in Plimmerton this week and developed an ambitious plan to unionise Māori workers throughout the public service.

“The congress has discussed and developed an ambitious plan to recruit more Māori members into the union by ensuring that our Māori membership structures are strong,” said

“We want to ensure that every Māori public service worker knows about the Public Service Association and the benefits of union membership.”

The PSA represents over 54,000 public service workers from health, central and local government and in community services, nearly 5,000 of whom are Māori. Fifty Māori union delegates from across the PSA’s membership attended the Congress.

The Congress also discussed what Wayne Mapp’s 90 day probationary employment bill would mean for Māori workers, Council of Trade Unions’ Rūnanga structures and the role of Tikanga in the public service.

“The congress has provided an excellent opportunity for Māori PSA members to meet each other and discuss important issues for Māori in the public sector.”

ENDS

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