NZ Workers Face Rising Pressures: Unions Must Organise for Change

New Zealand workers are facing mounting pressures as wages fall and workplace protections weaken. In an exclusive interview, Sandra Grey, President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU), spoke with Martyn Bradbury about the need for union power to combat these issues.

Grey argues that workers have been conditioned to feel grateful simply to have a job, rather than demanding fair treatment and compensation. She points out that employers and the wider economy rely on workers' daily contributions, yet often fail to recognize their worth.

The CTU President emphasizes the importance of automatic union enrolment, which she believes could transform workers' power. Grey also supports the Green Party's proposal to make union membership the norm.

Grey criticizes recent changes to WorkSafe and employment protections made by Brooke van Velden, as well as the Government's record on pay equity and workers' rights. She advocates for fair pay agreements and collective bargaining to address wage disparities and migrant-worker exploitation.