New Zealanders throughout the country will cometogether for the National Remembrance Service on Friday 29 March from 10am.
"A binding thread throughout the unionmovement is the notion that an injury to one is an injury to all. What happenedin Christchurch on March 15th devastated our Muslim community and it broke thecollective heart of our nation. The terrible injury which has been inflicted onour Muslim whānau is an injury to all New Zealanders," CTU Vice PresidentRachel Mackintosh said.
"There is work which must be done toensure that all Kiwis, regardless of skin colour, religious beliefs, sexualorientation, those with disabilities, or gender identity, are united throughlove. We have more that connects us than separates us, we have more that weshare than we have which makes us different. Together we must ensure that thevoices of those that are so often the hardest to hear, are amplified andlistened to. These are voices of minority groups."
"Working people in New Zealand have aproud history in progressing issues of equality and unity. The union movementhas stood with Tāngata Whenua at Takaparawha and with the anti-Apartheidmovement while that regime persisted in South Africa, and stands today withthose seeking to protect ancestral lands at Ihumātao. And it is certainly atruth that we aren't equal until we are all equal."
"The Council of Trade Unions wishes to payspecial tribute to all those Kiwis who have been working in the aftermath ofthe attacks. Thank you for all that you have done and, for many of you, allthat you are doing. We see your work and we honour it."
"The CTU encourages employers to supportemployees to attend, watch or listen, to the National Remembrance Service. Ourcollective grief must be given the opportunity to be expressed. It is only thenthat the healing can begin and we can start to recreate a future of unity andstrength and kindness to all," Mackintosh said.
