Unite delegates met in several centres around New Zealand from 12 to 14 May to discuss the proposed union merger.

Joint meetings were held in Christchurch, Wellington, Palmerston North, Rotorua and Auckland with delegates from the Service and Food Workers Union and the National Distribution Union.

The meetings discussed the strengths that each would bring to the new union. Unite delegates talked about our successes in recruiting in very difficult industries, our fresh approach, our flat organisational structure and our political independence.

Unite brings a fresh, campaigning approach to union organising with some high profile successes such as the SuperSizeMyPay.Com campaign.

The NDU brings strengths such as its Shelf Respect campaign and growth in the difficult retail sector to the merger while the SFWU brings its Clean Start and Healthy Hospitals campaign experience which includes moving the lowest paid workers in hospitals up from the minimum wage to a starting wage of $14.25 per hour.

The dangers were also discussed. Unite delegates felt our union has brought hope to many small worksites which traditionally other unions have ignored. They expressed concern their small sites could be "buried" with the larger sites dominating time and resources.

Also of concern is the history union mergers being that unions have merged and then shrunk.

"In the past unions have merged for survival," says Unite National Director Mike Treen.

"To be successful this merger needs to be built around a strong growth strategy."

Unite delegates were pleased with the positive interactions and positive feedback from organisers and delegates from the other unions. The consensus was that while each union is different, combining the strengths would make a formidable force for the good of New Zealand workers.

Further meetings with delegates, organisers and members will be held in the coming months to talk through the issues with each union taking a membership vote either late this year or early next year. We will keep you posted...