This Waitangi Day, a delegation of NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi leadership and Te Rūnanga o ngā Kaimahi Māori o Aotearoa members travelled up North to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and share korero with workers from all across the motu.
NZCTU Vice President Māori Aubrey Wilkinson attended, along with CTU President Sandra Grey. They share their reflection on the experience.
What an amazing experience! I had the honour of attending this event as Vice President Māori of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi. We managed to secure a site as a base of operations for our team to spread our messaging over two days. Our messaging? We are Union! We stand shoulder to shoulder with Māori! Let’s vote this Government out!
Running our operation over the two days was bloody hard work, coupled with long hours of engagement. The people! Oh my god the people! Thousands of exuberant, proud, excited, engaging individuals. Our team spent what seemed like endless hours of korero and whakarongo with so many whanau, individuals, and groups. I can state that 99.5% of people were excited with our three pou. Unions hard! Solidarity with Māori! Vote to change this Government!
The atmosphere over the two days was electric with plenty of positive anticipation. It was clear that people came to Waitangi to experience and celebrate a significantly historic occasion of Aotearoa. The unity, appreciation, and respect that people held for each other was stunning to witness. Smiles everywhere you went.
Other CTU affiliated unions were present over the two days. PPTA, TEU, Pulp and Paper, NZ Nurses Organisation, NZEI Te Riu Roa, PSA, and DWU, as well as union members from across the country.
We certainly drove home the message that we are a combined union movement supporting Māori for a fair and just Aotearoa. Unions do this for workers, why not for everyone! Here’s to a better Aotearoa Whānau!!
Aubrey Wilkinson
Vice President Māori
Aubrey’s union journey began with the Meat Workers Union in Rangiuru, followed by the Electrical Workers Union in Tauranga, the PSA at Huntly Power Station, and finally the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) at the Port of Tauranga, where he has worked as a container crane driver since 1987. Aubrey has served as RMTU National President from 2012 . He was elected as Vice President Māori of the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi in 2025.
