Workers First Union

Workers First Union is a national trade union in New Zealand that was formed as First Union on 1 October 2011 by the merger of the National Distribution Union and Finsec. It changed to the current name in March 2024.^[2]

FIRST Union

FIRST Union
Founded	2011
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Location	New Zealand
Members	31,000 [1]
Key people	Bill Bradford, president Dennis Maga, general secretary
Affiliations	NZCTU
Website	www.workersfirst.nz

Leadership and structure

FIRST Union has a membership of more than 31,000 as of 1 October 2023 ^[3] and is affiliated with the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. It is also affiliated to various international federations through its five sectors; Finance, Industrial (Textile, Clothing, Baking, Wood, Energy), Retail, Stores (distribution and logistics) and Transport. While not affiliated with the New Zealand Labour Party, former NDU secretary Laila Harré (as an Alliance MP) served in the Fifth Labour Government as Minister for Women's Affairs and was the primary architect of the country's paid parental leave system.^[4]

The current General Secretary is Dennis Maga, the first Asian New Zealander to lead a major New Zealand trade union. Maga was born in the Philippines and elected general secretary in November 2017.^[5]

History

On 7 November 2018, the New Zealand Bakers, Pastrycooks and Related Employees Union amalgamated into FIRST Union.^[6] The New Zealand Bakers, Pastrycooks and Related Employees Union reported having 443 members on March 1, 2018, in its annual membership return.^[7] On 28 April 2023, the Northern Chemical Workers Union amalgamated into FIRST Union.^[8]