The 23 October public sector strike was the largest industrial action taken in Aotearoa since the one-day General strike in 1979. On 28 October Te Whanganui-a-Tara branch of the International Socialist Organisation hosted a panel discussion on this historic action. Nurse and unionist Grant Brookes was among the speakers, giving his perspective on the struggle.Continue reading “Strike Wave 2025: Reflections From a Unionist”
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The year of the strike is a year like no other
Grant Brookes 1 October 2025 “The year of the strike? Perfect pay storm looms over public sector.” This was the headline of an article back in February by a prescient Stuff journalist. This perfect storm has arrived, though it’s about much more than pay. Under conditions of today’s unprecedented political mobilisations, and an increasingly authoritarian government which has thrustContinue reading “The year of the strike is a year like no other”
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞
Kia ora koutou,My name is Grant Brookes. I am a Mental Health Nurse here at Wellington Regional Hospital Ngā Puna Wai Ora, and I’m an NZNO delegate. At our last strike in July, we had NZNO President Anne Daniels speaking to us. She is in Ōtepoti Dunedin today, supporting the picket line down there, soContinue reading “𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞”
Grant Brookes | Nurse & Trade Unionist 