PSA delegate Olivia McHugo felt so passionately about taking part in the Fight Back Together | Maranga Ake hui that she took a day’s leave to make the hui at Parliament.
Olivia turned up early to help the organising crew set up for the event.
She was the first hui participant to claim a space on the grass in front of Parliament in the nervous minutes before the start time, when hui organisers were wondering how many people would show up.
But it wasn’t long before Olivia was part of a crowd of 4,500, who had streamed out of the offices that surround Parliament, their chants echoing in the narrow Wellington streets. Hundreds more people poured off the buses from Wellington Hospital, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the Kapiti Coast.
PSA Organiser Katie Rowsell said, “when the first bus of nurses arrived, I knew we were going to be all right.”
Across the motu
Similar scenes were happening around the country. About 3,000 people rallied in Aotea Square in Auckland, which became a colourful, vibrant sea of union flags and banners.
A further 250 people took part in a community barbeque event in Manukau.
In Christchurch 900 people packed out the Addington Raceway venue, while a smaller rally at the Bridge of Remembrance attracted another 150 people.
More than 500 people filled Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre and 500 joined the hui in Dunedin’s Octagon. Between 250 to 300 people took part in each of the hui in Palmerston North, Mt Maunganui, New Plymouth and Hamilton.
PSA Organiser Chris Ollington said the Hamilton hui was notable for the Community and Public Services sector workers who turned out in their own time in between the valuable mahi they do to support people in the community.
Hui in Greymouth, Invercargill and Whangārei attracted between 50 to 150 people each. In total about 11,000 people across the motu attended the hui, organised by the Council of Trade Unions with support from affiliated unions including the PSA.
Union power!
At the hui participants voted on five motions calling for better, safer work, greater investment in public, health and community services, respect for Māori and Te Tiriti, an end to inequality, and a just transition for workers in the face of climate and technology change.
More importantly, people felt the positive energy created by the banners, the flags, the music the speeches, and the power of standing together in solidarity with other workers.
PSA National Secretary Duane Leo, who spoke at the Aotea Square event, said, "people were happy to be there speaking up. It’s about time we started to do this.”
After the New Plymouth event PSA Organiser Chris Stuart said, “there was lots of energy in the group and they were keen to do it again.”
Olivia McHugo said the hui in Wellington was “really powerful, really moving. I was in touch with people attending in other places and the feeling was the same across the country.”
