On Wednesday 23 October, we’re asking you to join with union members across Aotearoa to join a mass hui and Fight Back Together for workers’ rights and honouring Te Tiriti.
PSA members come to work to make a difference. Community, local government and public services keep Aotearoa running and ensure we all get the support we need, rather than only those who can afford to pay.
Government cuts and unprecedented attacks on the services we provide are doing long term damage and risk eroding public faith in these services. The assault on Te Tiriti has led to an unprecedented number of Waitangi Tribunal claims against the government.
We’ve stood together against the attacks through the media, at the courts, and on the streets. Almost a year into their term it’s clear we need to step up our resistance.
Put 23 October in your diary, and organise your friends, workmates and whānau to be there.
Hui are planned in:
|
Area |
Venue |
Event Time |
|
Auckland |
Aotea Square |
12-1pm |
|
Manukau City |
Manukau Plaza |
12-1pm |
|
Hamilton |
Garden Place |
12-1pm |
|
Mt Maunganui |
Hopukiore (Mount Drury) Reserve |
1-2pm |
|
New Plymouth |
The Plaza |
12-1pm |
|
Palmerston North |
Arena 5 |
12.30-1.30pm |
|
Wellington |
Parliament |
1pm-2pm |
|
Nelson |
Trafalgar Centre |
1.30-2.30pm |
|
Greymouth |
Monteiths Bar – Annex |
3.30-4.30pm |
|
Christchurch |
Bridge of Remembrance |
12.30-1.30pm |
|
Dunedin |
Octagon – Upper |
12-1pm |
|
Invercargill |
Greenspace – crn Elles Road & Tay Sts |
2-3pm |
Keep an eye on this page. We'll add details, resources and information as they become available.
As union members we know our strength is in our unity and our numbers. That’s why it’s so important for you to be there 23 October.
LET US KNOW YOU'RE COMING THROUGH THE NZCTU
Transport
If you can, organise with your friends, workmates and whānau to take sustainable transport to and from the hui. Do a walking bus, take the bus or train together, or carpool.
Some areas are organising chartered buses to and from the hui – we'll add more info to this page as it becomes available.
Follow us on social media for updates
We'll share event details and updates on our social media channels:
Your right to protest
We support your right to be politically active and this is also codified in the Public Service Act 2020. You can do so safely by ensuring you familiarise yourself with and follow your agency's code of conduct. Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission website contains guidelines you may find useful.
When you are expressing personal political views remember to ensure you avoid:
- identifying yourself with your work, including wearing logos, lanyards or uniforms associated with your work
- giving the impression you’re giving the view of your agency when it’s your own view
- revealing advice given to Ministers/Councillors that is not public
- disclosing information from your work which is not public
- using your employer's resources, e.g. email, printer, or your work-provided devices to share, like or comment on PSA social media posts
- associating your work with personal posts on social media – including professional networking sites like LinkedIn.
If you need any further advice, please contact your PSA delegate or organiser.
FAQs
If this page doesn't answer your question, ask your PSA delegate or organiser. If you still need help, email Te Roopu Tohutohu Manaaki or call them on 0508 367 772 (available Monday – Friday between 8:45am and 5:00pm).
The Fight Back Together | Maranga Ake day of action is organised by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU). As an NZCTU affiliate, the PSA supports fighting back against the Government's attacks on workers and Te Tiriti.
We’ve stood together against the attacks through the media, at the courts, and on the streets. Almost a year into their term it’s clear we need to step up our resistance.
We know mobilisations like this are effective. Christopher Luxon and his coalition Government have been rocked more than once in their first year by communities turning out for what they believe in.
Fight Back Together has the potential to send a clear message we stand against the Government’s extreme anti-worker and anti-Te Tiriti policies. And we stand in solidarity for a flourishing Aotearoa that rests on the foundation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and honours workers’ rights and well resourced public, health, community, and local government services.
The most important thing you can do is come to a hui on the day. Put it in your diary now and organise workmates, friends and whānau to show your support.
Contact your local delegate for organiser and volunteer help prepare for your local action.
To make our presence as visible as possible we are developing banners and placards for the event and stocking up on PSA flags. Local union members will hold placard painting sessions. We will update you on these sessions once details have been finalised.
And keep an eye on this page for resources that you can share to help hype up the event.
The PSA is fully supporting the October 23 hui across the motu, alongside other unions.
Each union has made its own decision about the best way its members can participate.
The PSA Board decided that given our large size (more than 95,000+ members) and geographic spread of our membership across multiple worksites it was not practical to call paid stop work all-of-union meetings.
So we are putting our efforts into mobilising members who can feasibly attend rallies in their lunch breaks.
You can support the Fight Back Together National Day of Action on social media, provided you follow the guidance below.
The advice from Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Public Commission is that public servants are free to use social media in their private lives, in the same way as other citizens. The Standards of Integrity and Conduct, political neutrality obligations and your agency policies apply to all media communications outside work as with other forms of communication. There must be a clear separation between public servants’ work role and their personal use of media.
Members are advised to avoid using work-provided devices to share PSA social media posts to ensure compliance with Te Kawa Mataaho/ Public Service Commission advisory for a clear separation between public servants’ work role and their personal use of social media.
Yes! Bring out your whānau, your workmates, your friends – anyone who can make it. We're stronger when we stand together.
Resources
We've created posters and flyers suited for the sector you work in:
I work in the Public Service/State Sector
I work in mental health, disability or home support services
