News

DHL workers voted to go on strike in mid-December over lack of progress in the negotiations. However after a company-called mediation session following the Christmas / New Year break, an agreement was reached. As well as the wage increase other key wins for the union were; the addition of service pay that the warehouse workers enjoyed to the wage rates of drivers employed by DHL Supply Chain in New Zealand, additional increases to the rate for driver of the heavier class vehicles (some long serving heavy vehicle drivers will receive over 10% for the two years, and a working party to deal with the position of leading hands which members felt was being downgraded in relation to other supervisory and clerical roles.



DHL Supply Chain workers and FIRST Union had been trying to achieve a 4.6% + increase for the first year based on the latest available Consumer Price Index (CPI) (inflation) figures when negotiations commenced. Although this was not achieved, only minutes after the agreement was reached the New Zealand government announce a huge drop in the CPI to 1.8% for the previous 12 months. It is very likely that the negotiated increases will be well above inflation rates over the next two years, which means workers will be able to make up for their wages running significantly behind inflation over the last two years.