CTU MEDIA RELEASE
08 August 2006
Trade Unions Set the Record Straight on Maori Option
“The trade union movement has not run a campaign to move people from the Maori roll to the general roll,” Sharon Clair,
CTU Vice president Maori said this morning.
Maori Party Co Leader Tariana Turia was reported last night as saying anecdotally a lot of Maori shifted to the general
roll because of a campaign involving the trade union movement.
“The CTU Runanga in fact was in a coalition with the national Maori students association Te Mana Akonga, the Te Tai
Tonga Maori Party electorate and the NZ Nurses Organisation Runanga,” Sharon Clair said.
“The coalition held presentations to Maori workers, stalls, media coverage and a large amount of networking,” said
Clair.
“We were disappointed that Tariana had forgotten that the CTU Runanga is part of the trade union movement and that she
had overlooked our activity in actively promoting the Maori Option.”
“Furthermore we can confirm that there was no organised union push for the general option, and have been in touch with
Tariana this morning and are confident that the matter can now rest.“
“We were pleased to be part of the Maori Option campaign this year,” said Ms Clair. “Based on the work of many groups in
the community, we are confident to predict that there will be an eight seat, based in South Auckland.”
ENDS