The general election, as they often do, has delivered a new government. After the more than 600,000 special votes were counted National, with 48 MPs, will need the support of ACT (11 MPs) and New Zealand First (eight MPs) to form a stable government.
The parties forming the coalition campaigned on policies that were less worker-friendly than the outgoing administration, such as ending Fair Pay Agreements, reintroducing 90-day trials and cutting public sector spending by 6.5%.
The reality of the election cycle means that governments change and we must adapt. We’ve done this in the past, making gains for members and growing our membership under both National and Labour-led governments. We are always committed to working constructively with the Government of the day.
At the same time, we will harness the collective strength of our 90,000 members to fight hard to retain and celebrate the strong public and community services New Zealanders
rely on, and for the jobs of PSA members who deliver them.
We have a firm base to campaign for public and community services. The latest Kiwis Count survey results found that 8 out of 10 New Zealanders trust the public service based on their personal experience. In the survey public service workers are rated highly for their honesty, for doing their best to help people and for the respect they show.
While we will likely have less access to Ministers in the new government, we will strengthen our work with allies, including other unions, advocates, MPs, community, iwi and ngā kaupapa Māori to build support for positive change.
The strength of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina – which represents more than 10,000 members who identify as Māori – provides us with a strong platform to advocate for improved public service delivery with and for Māori.
Similarly, the strength of PSA Youth means we are well placed to tap into the vitality and commitment of young voters, who have become a powerful values-based political force.
One of the benefits of belonging to a union is that you don’t have to face change alone. There’s strength in being part of a collective, and wisdom you can tap into. If you haven’t experienced a change in government before, talk to PSA members who have been around for a while. They can help provide a broader view in uncertain times.
For all of us in the PSA, it’s critical we stay true to our enduring values by demonstrating solidarity. We have always sought to use our collective strength to stand together to influence the political, economic, industrial and social environment in the interests of all members – and that’s not about to change.
