Service & Food Workers Union
The Service & Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) was a trade union in New Zealand. It was affiliated with the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and the New Zealand Labour Party.
| Full name | Service & Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota |
|---|---|
| Date dissolved | October 2015 |
| E tū | |
| Members | 23,000+ |
| Affiliation | NZCTU, Labour Party |
| Key people | John Ryall, National Secretary |
| Office location | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Website | www.sfwu.org |
The SFWU was organised into five industry sectors:
- Age Care, Disability, Health & Community Services
- Catering, Cleaning and Contract Services
- Clerical, Administration & Technical Services
- Food & Beverage Manufacturing & Processing
- Hospitality, Tourism & Entertainment Services
The Service & Food Workers Union filed a case with the Employment Court against Terranova, a rest home operator, in relation to allegations that it paid its caregivers lower wages that it would otherwise pay if its work force was not predominantly made up of women.[1] The case went all the way to the Court of Appeal of New Zealand, where it was upheld in 2015. The government then took it on itself to negotiate a settlement, which was announced in April 2017 as "the largest pay increase in New Zealand's history".[2]
In October 2015, the Service & Food Workers Union merged with the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union to form E tū.[3]
References
- "Terranova Homes & Care v SFWU - appeal dismissed". Scoop. Independent News Media. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- Davison, Isaac (18 April 2017). "Government announces historic pay equity deal for care workers". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- "Union merger brings 50,000 together". Wairarapa Times-Age. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2017.