Union membership and strength in New Zealand fell significantly after the 1991 passage of the Employment Contracts Act under the previous National government, the nine years of Labour government then have shown such continuity of Nationals policies, despite a renaming and minor reform of the act.

In 2000 just after Labor came in to office, 69 percent of the public sector workers were covered by collective agreements and 21 percent of workers in the private sector. This year 59 percent of public sector workers have collective agreements, and a mere 10 percent of private sector workers. Its no surprise that National is taking a “steady as she goes” approach to industrial relations, as the results of their 1990’s policies have not been reversed.

The small percentage of unionised workers are not standing down however, and are continuing to struggle for better pay and conditions. More than seventy Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Moulders Union members at the Masport lawnmower manufacturing plant in Auckland are taking strike action in protest at the company’s below-inflation pay offer of 3%. The strike action began on Wednesday and is expected to continue until at least Monday.

Meanwhile in Wellington, Workers at Rembrandt Suits are beginning a series of pickets outside retail outlets selling the expensive suits they make. While the suits sell from $900 each, the workers who make them are paid the minimum wage of $12 an hour. National Distribution Union organiser Annabel Snow stated in a press release “The workers have decided to give customers the opportunity to contrast the high price of the suits they are purchasing with the sweatshop wages paid to the workers making them.” The organised labour movement is slowly but surely rebuilding.