2-in-1 union for North workers

E tu was created on Wednesday by the merger of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Service and Food Workers' Union. Photo: File

Almost 1000 Northland workers have a new union representing them after the largest private-sector union in New Zealand was launched in Wellington.

E tu was created on Wednesday by the merger of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Service and Food Workers' Union.

It represents more than 50,000 workers in industries as diverse as aviation, construction, journalism, food manufacturing, mining and cleaning. In Northland, the SFWU had 502 members and the EPMU 481.

"By combining two large unions with proud legacies of organising and activism, we've created a platform to drive change, for our members and their communities," said Bill Newson, E tu national secretary.

"We're going to campaign hard for workers' rights, health and safety, a living wage for all Kiwis, and recognising high-value skilled work. We invite all the workers in New Zealand who aren't in a union to take notice."

The new name comes from the words of a Maori waiata E tu kahikatea, which encourages people to stand tall like a kahikatea tree.

Kahikatea trees only flourish and grow when they are surrounded by multitudes of others.