There’s been no shortage of movement this month. From walkouts to early reform signals, the pressure points in New Zealand’s public sector, and aligned, workforce are bubbling to the surface.
Here’s a quick round-up of what’s been happening, with links included, and what it might mean for those of us managing people.
1. Lab Workers Strike
Pathlab, Awanui Labs and Medlab Central lab workers who are Apex union members across the country clocked out for 48 hours in February, demanding pay parity with Te Whatu Ora staff. With wage gaps reportedly hitting 32%, the strike disrupted surgeries and closed testing sites.
2. Oranga Tamariki on Strike
2,800 Oranga Tamariki PSA members have taken industrial action, calling out burnout, unmanageable workloads, and pay that doesn’t reflect the pressure. The action includes working to rule, and no working on call, overtime or double shifts. Oranga Tamariki has offered two lump sums payments and no across-the-board increase.
3. Aged Care Workers Push Back
E tū and NZNO members working in aged care staff staged two protests in February. The key drivers are –
- Pay and staffing at Oceania,
- Hours being reduced at Bupa.
4. Employment Law changes coming
Several new employment law changes have been raised by Minister van Velden –
- Partial pay for partial strikes
- Those earning more than $180,000 per year will not be able to take a personal grievance
- A reduction in personal grievance payouts
- A test to determine whether a person is an employee or a contractor
- End to terms preventing people from discussing salary or pay
5. Housing Market Update
This February update from Squirrel shows a stabilising market—prices holding, listings picking up, and cautious buyer confidence. But with interest rates and global volatility still lingering, affordability’s not fading from the workforce conversation anytime soon.