Protesters at a 'Fairness at Work' national day of action rally in Aotearoa New Zealand 20 Oct 2010.
About 15,000 New Zealand workers joined the “Fairness at Work” National Day of Action on October 20, highlighting growing opposition to the government's proposed employment law changes, said the country’s largest private sector union, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU).
At least 7000 people packed the TelstraClear Pacific Stadium in Auckland and 4000 rallied outside parliament in Wellington. Thousands turned out in regional centres including Hamilton, Hastings and Nelson.
EPMU national secretary Andrew Little, who spoke at the Auckland rally, said: “The size of the turnout … at dozens of events shows there is widespread opposition to the proposed unfair new laws and the government doesn’t have a mandate to pass them.”