'They should be at work': Christopher Luxon on 10,000 striking public servants
New Zealand's Public Service Minister Paul Goldsmith and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have criticized a planned strike by 10,000 public servants, labeling it a politically motivated campaign. The Public Service Association (PSA) denies these claims, asserting that the strike is a legitimate response to stalled pay negotiations.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant labor dispute between the government and public sector unions, impacting essential services and reflecting broader political tensions in New Zealand.
Public Service Minister Paul Goldsmith has criticised public servants planning to strike next week, saying the industrial action is part of a "broader political campaign" to change the government.
About 10,000 members of the Public Service Association (PSA) are set to strike on the afternoon of Wednesday, 9 September following prolonged pay negotiations.
Affected agencies included the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities (MEC).
Speaking to reporters at Parliament on Tuesday, Goldsmith said the action looked politically motivated.
"They've got little pamphlets out there saying 'change the government'," he said. "The people of New Zealand will be inconvenienced out of what could be seen as a broader political campaign."
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