Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi
The National Iwi Chairs Forum and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi are today announcing that on the 28th of October there will be a national day of solidarity, Rā Whakamana, to reaffirm the tino rangatiratanga of Tangata Whenua and protect the rights and wellbeing of all workers.
The 28th of October carries deep meaning – it marks the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni and the first Labour Day demonstrations in 1890 that helped secure the eight-hour working day.
Iwi, unions, and activist groups are calling for mass mobilisations across the country at 12pm on 28 October to send a powerful message that we will not back down in the face of the Government’s ongoing attacks on our people.
“Rā Whakamana is a tikanga-led stand for cultural wellbeing, dignity, workers’ rights, mana wāhine, rangatahi, and tino rangatiratanga – guided by iwi leadership in partnership with the union movement,” said iwi spokesperson Dr Kenneth Kennedy.
“Despite the defeat of the Treaty Principles Bill, this Government continues its anti-Tiriti and anti-worker agenda. They are undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi, removing Treaty clauses from law, pushing the Regulatory Standards Bill, blocking pay equity for wāhine, and eroding workers’ rights and protections while costs keep rising,” said iwi spokesperson Na Raihania.
“Rā Whakamana is about keeping the pressure on. We will continue to mobilise and disrupt until this Government stops attacking Māori, dividing communities, and damaging the cultural health and safety of Māori workers,” said union spokesperson Laures Park.
“Together as iwi, as unions, as Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti, we are not just resisting, we are creating a future where tino rangatiratanga is real for everyone and Te Tiriti o Waitangi unites all communities,” said union spokesperson Grant Williams.
Rā Whakamana is the first time that iwi and unions have collaborated on a national scale. Events will be held across the country.
