Kia Ora NZNO Member
This 1 May workers and their unions across Aotearoa will be uniting across the country at May Day hui. We'll be standing together for our schools, hospitals and strong public services.
This year is an election year. NZNO members need to be at these hui alongside other working people to share our collective demands of the next Government:
- More money in workers’ pockets: restore pay equity and Fair Pay Agreements
- Good jobs for all and a system that backs workers
- Public services that work and power we can afford
- Make the rich pay their fair share
Your right to attend a May Day hui
- On Thursday 16 April NZNO wrote to Te Whatu Ora notifying them of these hui / meetings on 1 May 2026.
- This means that it is your right to attend your local May Day hui as a union meeting under section 26 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.
- Your employer, Te Whatu Ora, must permit members to attend one of these hui / union meetings, and if it’s during your normal work time, you must be paid while you attend.
- Our expectation is that there will be some disruption / reduction to services and cover arranged e.g. using overtime or other methods to ensure members are able to exercise their right to attend union meetings during work time.
- If you are rostered to work at the time of the meeting, and there is a meeting you can access within the allocated travel time (30 minutes each way), advise your employer that you are planning to attend the meeting as a paid union meeting.
- Additional FAQs are here for NZNO members.
Please note that these meetings are separate from the collective bargaining process. As members have been advised, your bargaining team is continuing to meet with Te Whatu Ora this week and an update on these negotiations will be provided to members separately.
Maranga Ake! Fight Back Together May Day Hui 2026
Friday 1 May
Whangārei: Laurie Hall Park, 12-1pm
Central Auckland: Myers Park (Pitt St YMCA wet weather location), 12-1pm
South Auckland: Manukau Plaza, 12-1pm
Hamilton: Civic Square (behind Garden Place), 1-2pm
Tauranga: Car park next to the Fire Station, 199 Cameron Road, 12-1pm
Gisborne: Heipipi Park, 12-1pm
New Plymouth: Huatoki Plaza, 12-1pm
Napier: Market St, 12-1pm
Hastings: Albert Square, 12-1pm
Palmerston North: Arena 5 - Barbers Hall, 12-1pm
Wellington: Wellington Hospital-Newtown School, 7am (This is not a Section 26 meeting. Come along and support if you are not working at this time).
Wellington: Cuba Mall, 12-1pm
Nelson: 1903 square, 12-1pm
Christchurch Central: Bridge of Remembrance, 1-2pm
Christchurch: Addington Raceway, 12-1pm
Dunedin: Union Hall Otago University, 12:30-1:30pm
Invercargill: Southland Stadium, 1-2pm
Saturday 2 May
Masterton: Queen Elizabeth Park, 11:30am-1:30pm (This is not a Section 26 meeting. Come along and support if you are not working at this time).
West Coast: Blackball Hotel, Debate and Dinner, 4pm (This is not a Section 26 meeting. Come along and support if you are not working at this time).
Please check the official website for the most up-to-date information and find out more: Fight Back Together Maranga Ake
NZNO members need to turn out on May Day alongside other working people to send a strong message to those in power. Stand together for our public health system, for fairness and for Te Tiriti.
When working people unite and use our collective strength, we bring people together and transform society for the better. Unions and workers have a proud history of creating change and NZNO members joining these hui on 1 May will be an important part of continuing to stand together in 2026 for a better Aotearoa.
Ngā mihi,
Paul Goulter, Chief Executive
NZNO Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa
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