Unite Union has been approached by the National Distribution Union to discuss a union merger which would include Unite Union.
The proposed merger would also involve the Service and Food Workers Union who approached the NDU earlier to discuss amalgamating. The Unite executive have discussed the approach and have agreed to enter talks on the proposal.
The proposed new union would be the largest private sector union in New Zealand – currently the EPMU (Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union) is the largest.
For Unite the most important issue will be whether or not the proposed new union would be able to provide better services and organising opportunities for our members. Unite has grown quickly and recruits heavily. However because of the very high staff turnover in the industries in which we are organising we face additional problems as a union.
Would problems like this be easier to manage in a much larger union? There would certainly be economies of scale with regard to administration which would help keep costs and fees as low as possible but would the union lose its special character as a union which works to empower members to act? This question is being discussed by the union executive.
We have a special relationship with our members and the organisers value your strong and loyal support.
We will keep you posted on progress with the merger talks. In the meantime we’d like to hear from you on what you think. What are the positives we could benefit from? What are the concerns we would need to take into account?

You can email our National Director Mike Treen at
mike@unite.org.nz