August 29, 2008

Media Release

16,500 workers rally for rights

Sixteen and a half thousand Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union members have rallied for stronger work rights this month following the final Work Rights Wage Drive rally at North Harbour Stadium today.

The North Harbour rally attracted 2500 union members and follows a turnout of 6000 in Manukau on Wednesday.

The Work Right Wage Drive rallies forms part of the EPMU’s campaign for the stronger work rights needed to ensure fairness at work and increase New Zealanders’ wages.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says the Wage Drive has given the EPMU a strong democratic mandate from workers to campaign on this election.

“In the last month we’ve had thousands of members unanimously endorse a six-point work rights checklist for our union to campaign on and judge all political parties this election.

“Our members have told us their work rights are vital to increasing their wages and improving their lives and their families’ lives.

“We’ll be giving every political party the opportunity to measure their work rights policies against our checklist and we’ll be taking that response back to all of our members and every working New Zealander we can reach.

“Work rights and wages are a defining political issue this year and we expect political parties will be listening to the voice of thousands of New Zealand workers.”

The EPMU represents 50,000 working New Zealanders across eleven industries.

For more information about the Wage Drive and the EPMU’s Work Rights campaign visit www.workrights.org.nz.

ENDS

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