Source: Workers First Union
WHAT:
Migrant bus drivers and supporters will rally on Tuesday 15 September at Britomart Square in Auckland, calling for fair treatment for migrant drivers already living and working in New Zealand, as part of the Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG) campaign “Migrants Are Not Disposable Workers.”
WHEN: Tuesday 15 September 2026 3:30pm – 5:30pm
WHERE: Britomart, Te Komititanga Square along Customs Street, Auckland
WHY:
“These bus drivers came here because New Zealand needed them,” said Max Santiago, Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG) Coordinator. “They were recruited from overseas in 2023 during a post-Covid shortage that nearly brought Auckland’s public transport to a halt, and they’ve been doing exactly what was asked of them: driving the buses, paying their taxes, and building their lives here.”
“Now, with their visas due to expire in 2028, many face being uprooted all over again, along with the families some of them have brought here to build a life. These are not disposable workers, and they deserve better from Aotearoa.”
“Bus drivers who arrived here in 2023 were given a pathway to residency, allowing them to settle here in the long term, provided they pass the English language test. However, for most migrant bus drivers, the current language requirement is significantly higher than their existing English skills and has become a major barrier to securing residency and long-term job security.”
“Most bus drivers have their visas extended only until 2028, which is the maximum continuous stay for Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) holders. Bus drivers who came after 2023 no longer have pathways to residency and are therefore treated as disposable temporary workers.”
Mr Santiago said that the UNEMIG campaign was not about pitting migrant drivers against New Zealanders who do the same job.
“We’re calling for better wages, secure jobs and decent conditions for every bus driver, migrant or not. We’re all in this together,” said Mr Santos.
Ryan de Guzman, spokesperson for United Filipino Bus Drivers (UFBD), said that the group had recently founded because migrant bus drivers needed a stronger voice.
“Many of us came here because New Zealand needed our labour, and we’ve delivered ever since. We’re asking for nothing more than the chance to keep doing the job we came here to do,” said Mr de Guzman.
“For a lot of drivers, this is about more than a visa. It’s about kids in New Zealand schools and families who’ve settled here.”
“We’re calling on the Government to treat us as the essential workers we are, not as workers to be discarded once it’s convenient.”