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 love this child. Red-haired—patient and gentle like her mother—fey and funny like her father. When she giggles I can hear him when he and I were young. I am part of this child. It may be only because we share genes and that therefore smell familiar to each other. . . . It may be that a part of me lives in her in some important way. . . . But for now, it’s jelly beans and “Old MacDonald” that unite us.”
—Robert Fulghum (20th century)
“How can I explain the difference to me between America and Russia?... the America I’ve known is a place where men on horseback escort union marchers, the Russia I’ve known is a place where men on horseback slaughter young Socialists and Jews.”
—Golda Meir (1898–1978)