Solidarity is our strength.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union was proud to support last week’s massive strike by 100,000 health and education workers.

Striking nurses, midwives, doctors, dentists, and other healthcare workers and primary and senior teachers represented by ASMS, PPTA, NZEI, NZNO, and PSA rallied in towns and cities all over Aotearoa as a result of miserly offers from the government in collective agreement negotiations.

Dr Sean Sturm, an academic in the School of Critical Studies in Education at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland, was one of many TEU members who attended and marched with the striking workers.

“We really wanted to stand in solidarity with our fellow workers in the public sector at a time when our work and working conditions are under siege from a government that has it in for public services that are vital to the well-being of everyone in Aotearoa. You can’t cut your way to better public services! (And bashing unions is so last-century!)”

“I was really inspired by the fact that workers from across the public sector came together to stand up for an Aotearoa that cares about its tamariki and those who are in need. It demonstrated that aroha, awhi, and whanaungatanga keep our society together.”

“It’s likely there will be many more strikes and actions by public sector unions, including ours, between now and the next election. Last week demonstrated that solidarity is our strength, and that we can come together in common cause for a better, fairer Aotearoa!”