SEA-Unite media UPDATE: 97% SkyCity union members vote for Rugby World Cup Strike - Tūtira mai ngā iwi!
Update: When voting closed at 8pm last night hundreds of SEA-Unite members had voted 97% to approve the Rugby World Cup
Strike at SkyCity tonight at 9pm.
Earlier release
SkyCity casino workers going on strike so they can support the All Blacks this weekend - Tūtira mai ngā iwi!
Tūtira mai ngā iwi, tātou tātou e (Line up together people, All of us, all of us)
SEA-Unite union members at SkyCity casino in Auckland are voting on strike action to coincide with the All Blacks vs
South Africa Rugby World Cup game this Saturday night.
The planned strike is for a brief picket at 9pm on Saturday and a rousing chorus of Tūtira mai ngā iwi, after which the
striking workers will head off to the Albion pub on Hobson Street to cheer on the All Blacks.
They are inviting SkyCity CEO Graeme Stephens (of South Africa - moved to New Zealand in 2017) to join them at the
Albion.
“We promise not to be too hard on him when the Springboks fall at their first World Cup hurdle, and are keen to have a
chat to him about why he should value his employees weekends more” said SEA-Unite Convenor Joe Carolan.
“With an hourly pay rate of over $2,000 an hour he may not fully understand what it’s like to be forced to work weekend
after weekend for just above the minimum wage."
Gerard Hehir, Unite National Secretary and lead negotiator for SEA-Unite said “Our members, like most kiwis, want to be
able to watch and support the All Blacks win the rugby world cup, but many would normally be forced to work instead.”
"It is a very good example of why we are fighting the Bring Back the Weekend. Sports mostly take place on the weekends,
whether it be directly playing, supporting family and friends who are playing, or supporting your local, regional or
national team.”