The Unite Union (Unite) is a trade union in New Zealand. It is the sponsor of the Supersizemypay.com campaign directed towards improving working conditions for fast food workers in the country, in addition to representing other hospitality and retail workers. The current secretary of Unite is Matt McCarten.
Unite is affiliated with the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
It was the inspiration for the Australian UNITE Union, which was founded in Melbourne in 2003.
In response to the Key Government's amendment to the Employment Relations Act 2000 allowing small businesses greater liberty to 'hire and fire' workers in the first 90 days, Unite established the 'Rat Patrol' to name and shame companies that abuse the legislation.
McCarten's United Support Services, a company he formed to supply support services to the union, was placed into liquidation on 17 June 2011 owing $92,000 in unpaid taxes to the IRD.
Famous quotes containing the words unite and/or union:
“I think it is a wise course for laborers to unite to defend their interests.... I think the employer who declines to deal with organized labor and to recognize it as a proper element in the settlement of wage controversies is behind the times.... Of course, when organized labor permits itself to sympathize with violent methods or undue duress, it is not entitled to our sympathy.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“The sacred obligation to the Union soldiers must not—will not be forgotten nor neglected.... But those who fought against the Nation cannot and do not look to it for relief.... Confederate soldiers and their descendants are to share with us and our descendants the destiny of America. Whatever, therefore, we their fellow citizens can do to remove burdens from their shoulders and to brighten their lives is surely in the pathway of humanity and patriotism.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)