Dr Sandra Grey was elected as NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President in October 2025.
The power and energy of the union movement has been on full display in the last month.
100,000 workers striking, the CTU biennial hui, iwi, hapū and workers standing side-by-side in Rā Whakamana, the Firefighters' strikes, and the ongoing action from teachers, nurses, allied health care works, and so many more in the public sector. These demonstrate how deeply workers feel about the harm being done by this National-led government and rampant more market mantras.
And of course the release of the Pike River movie (go see it if you haven't already) shows that this power, dedication, and passion is something that is enduring.
These demonstrate our dream for a better Aotearoa.
We are over government and business decisions which result in 20% Māori unemployment in South Auckland and thousands of young kiwis leaving New Zealand every month because they can't get jobs.
We are over government and business decisions which put billions into the pockets of landlords and international corporations while saying that we can't afford to pay women, Māori, Pasifika, and Asian workers fairly.
It's been a big few weeks for everyone and it also marks the changing of the guard in the CTU with Richard Wagstaff retiring and me in the hot seat.
It was humbling to hear the tributes for Richard who has led the CTU for 10 years building Reimagining Aotearoa Together and Maranaga Ake, advocating tirelessly for workers rights, and supporting trade union leaders with grace and kindness.
It has been humbling to receive support from workers across Aotearoa as I move into my new role.
We've got lots to do together but we've never shied away from the hard work.
We've got dreams and plans to make Aotearoa a better place to live and work.
We want energy to be state controlled so they can ensure power generation that meets our needs and the needs of businesses at prices we can all afford. We want automatic union membership so workers when starting a new job don't have to hunt around and find a way to join the unio. We want Pay Equity claims restored. And there need to be Fair Pay Agreements so all workers get a better deal. We want Tiriti o Waitangi honoured.
And we have the plans to make these real.
Political parties are already electioneering. Let's make sure every day they hear and commit to a better future for workers and their families.
But it's not just political parties who need to hear our vision. As the summer months start and we get to sit around in the backyard playing games or cooking up a storm on the barbque we need to keep talking with our friends, neighbours, and employers about the need for stronger unions, better pay and conditions, and rules that put people at the heart of everything we do as a nation.
Together we can turn things around. It will take more strikes, there will be more disruption, we need to stand together in more protests, to have more conversations, but we're up for it.
We're up for it because our future is a stake. We're up for it because the decisions of this government and businesses are crushing workers lives.
I'll be there standing shoulder to should with you all – for a movement united will never be defeated.
Sandra Grey
NZCTU President
Sandra began her working life as a radio journalist with Independent Radio News, a career she left at 25 to go to the University of Auckland. After gaining a PhD from the Australian National University she returned home to teach at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.
While lecturing in social policy and sociology, Sandra became the Women's Committee Chair of the AUS, then a vice president and president of the TEU. Sandra was appointed to the role of National Secretary of TEU in 2021.
Sandra's career includes being the President of ANU's Postgraduate And Research Student Association, the spokesperson for the Campaign for MMP, a board member of the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa, and includes appointment to a range of boards/councils in the tertiary education sector.
