2 July 2015
EPMU National Conference endorses merger with SFWU
Delegates of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union have today voted in favour of a proposal to merge with
the Service and Food Workers Union.
The merger will now be subject to a vote of all EPMU members through a postal ballot.
“This is a tremendous milestone for the merger, which has been under discussion for quite some time,” says Bill Newson,
EPMU national secretary.
“It is also a significant step forward for the union movement in New Zealand.
“The role of unions has never been more important. As the nature of work changes, and exploitative trends like
offshoring jobs, zero-hour contracts, and down-skilling technical jobs become more common, workers need strong support
and advocacy to ensure they get a fair deal.”
The new union would have over 50,000 members and be the second-largest union in New Zealand.
If both unions’ memberships endorse the merger proposal, it will go ahead with a new union name and brand to be launched
in October this year.
ENDS