NZ Election 2020: Two major unions welcome Labour landslide, call for Government to use 'clear mandate'

Two of New Zealand's largest unions have welcomed Labour's landslide election win, saying it provides the centre-left party with a mandate to make substantial progress on critical issues.

Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party turned the country red on Saturday, winning a massive 64 seats in Parliament (before special votes are counted), nearly 30 more than the National Party and enough to govern alone. 

While Labour could form some type of partnership with the Green Party, which currently has 10 seats, Ardern repeatedly said on Saturday that Kiwis have given Labour a significant mandate.

Two of New Zealand's top unions agree. The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and the Public Service Association (PSA) have congratulated Labour on its win.

"We both want the same thing - a first-rate health system where people are cared for as best as possible, and in which every health worker is safe and fairly paid," says NZNO President Heather Symes.

"The Government has a clear mandate to progress with its agenda and NZNO is keen to work together in good faith on issues such as how improvements in health funding will keep moving forward and how the Government will address the findings of this year’s Health and Disability Commissioner’s report."

The NZNO wants to see pay parity between for nurses and all health workers addressed and "an end to persistent discrepancies in pay levels between those who work in District Health Boards and those who work in Primary Care".

The union represents more than 51,000 nurses and health workers.

"People working for Māori and Iwi health providers often work for 30 percent less than those working in public hospitals, despite having the same qualifications, experience and commitment to their employers and patients. This sort of historic injustice has to end right now."

Meanwhile, Erin Polaczuk, PSA's national secretary, says the "progressive electoral landslide" shows New Zealand has endorsed parties promising to invest in public and community services and reform industrial relations law to protect ordinary Kiwis.

"We are thrilled to see New Zealanders rally in support of transforming our country for the better. Too many diverse communities have been neglected or abandoned for too long, and on Saturday the people of this land made it crystal clear they want that to change now," Polaczuk says.

"A new day can dawn for women workers, Māori and Pasefika, those who can’t afford homes and those who can’t find jobs. A government committed to wellbeing can not only help those in need, it can change the rules and empower them to rise with their own strength."

The PSA, which represents and supports 75,000 public sector workers, will be seeking a meeting with the political leaders to discuss the union members' key priorities. Some of the issues it wants to address include inequalities faced by women, ethnic minorities, and disabled people, as well as settling equal pay claims. 

"Public and private sector workers have common interests and benefit from common solutions. We all need pay transparency, to expose and eliminate the discrimination which thrives in darkness. We all need secure jobs, fair pay and safe working conditions. 

"As economic hardship continues to bite for so many, our new government has a strong mandate to step in wherever necessary and ensure no one is left behind."

Among Labour's workplace relations and safety policies at the election was progressively extending Living Wage guarantees to public sector contractors, increasing minimum sick leave entitlements, increasing the minimum wage, and raising the age for workers to perform hazardous tasks. 

It's also promising to "make it easier for women to gain pay equity in their organisation or across their industry, by ensuring there are better records of pay equity across New Zealand, including by ethnicity and age as well as gender".

"We will make it easier for workers to receive fair wages and conditions, and avoid the 'race to the bottom' that occurs within competitive industries by implementing Fair Pay Agreements."