The minimum wage was an important issue but he was concerned about the problems all low-paid workers faced.
Work had already been started with outgoing Workplace Safety and Employment Minister Michael Woodhouse on pay equity and Mr Huggard wanted that work to continue.
''People accepted growth in the economy in recent times but they also knew it was not well shared. Soon, people will want to have inequality addressed.''
Mr Huggard and CTU president Richard Wagstaff planned to meet the new Government to start talking about targets for workers.
One of the main issues was Industry Standard Agreements, or Pay Equity Agreements, which would provide minimum conditions across certain industries, he said.
These were not wide-ranging conditions, just a basic standard of care.
Also, the CTU wanted changes made to improve collective bargaining, Mr Huggard said.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation was expecting a reversal of the 2017 ''Scrooge health budget'' and the $2billion going back to health.
Acting chief executive Jane MacGeorge said health was the No1 election issue and a clear ''shout out'' to those standing to represent the public and run the country.
''It is only six months until this Government delivers its first Budget and we are looking forward to proper funding being available to ensure safe staffing levels and practices,'' Ms MacGeorge said.
Many nurses said they believed cost-cutting was affecting the pace of recovery of their patients, she said.
One of the other issues the new Government will need to deal with quickly is the TPP11, the Trans-Pacific Partnership without the United States.
BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said business wanted clarity about what changes would be made to the TPP if it was implemented, and why those changes would be made.
The TPP gave New Zealand exporters access to 450 million consumers worldwide.
''Are there other alternatives to the TPP?''
Outspoken TPP critic Jane Kelsey said the new Government would have to move fast if it was to influence the outcomes of trade and investment agreements being negotiated by National.
There were at least five negotiations under way, all using the same broad template.
Most urgently, the remaining 11 parties negotiating the TPP were meeting in the next few days in Japan on how to resuscitate the deal.
''New Zealand, under National, with Australia and Japan, have spearheaded demands to leave the original text virtually unchanged, while suspending a small number of provisions unless and until the US rejoins.''
Prof Kelsey said the new Government would have to agree on a position and brief its negotiators within a few days, not just on the TPP, and remember they all had called for greater openness.
The meeting in Japan was meant to finalise options on the future of the agreements so their trade ministers or leaders could make a decision when they met on the margins of the Apec conference in Vietnam from November 5 to 11.
That would put Ms Ardern and NZ First leader Winston Peters under the spotlight.
''They cannot deliver a new direction for the economy and greater control of our regulatory decisions, including on investment, unless they substantially change New Zealand's approach to these agreements,'' Prof Kelsey said.
What we know (and don't know) so far
• "Most" of Labour's 100 Days plan remains. That includes a year's free tertiary education for 2018, , KiwiBuild and the 'families package' - boosts to Working for Families, a $60 weekly payment for parents of newborn babies and increases to paid parental leave. Ardern will not say what has had to be dropped or changed.
• Immigration will be cut, Ardern says Labour's policy remains in place (targeting students and low skilled workers).
• Labour will assign a Pike River Minister to look at re-entry into the mine.
• The minimum wage will go up from $15.75 to $16.50 from the start of 2018. It could go higher soon after that - the Greens want $18 an hour and NZ First $20 an hour. Last year, MBIE estimated an increase from $15.25 to $16.50 would restrict job growth by about 7000 jobs and cost the wider economy $257 million but give a pay rise to more than 200,000 workers.
• The Ministry of Primary Industries will be split up to re-create a Ministry of Forestry.
• The Green Party's deal includes reform of the welfare system, environmental measures as well as a referendum on personal use of marijuana.
• NZ First's agreement includes reform of Reserve Bank Act but unclear how extensive that will be.
• Foreigners will be banned from buying houses - but the mechanism to achieve it is unclear as is whether Labour would withdraw from the TPP if it could not be re-negotiated.
• Water taxes on farmers will likely be scrapped - but Ardern has indicated a different model for those using irrigation schemes and it is unclear if taxes on other commercial water users will remain. Government subsidies for irrigation will end.
• A Climate Commission has been agreed to by all three parties to monitor progress toward carbon neutrality by 2050 - but the mechanisms to achieve that are unclear as is whether agriculture will still be put into the Emissions Trading Scheme almost immediately.
