New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Tuesday labeled the proposed nationwide strikes on budget day as “illegal.” The proposed strikes, which are being organized by Indigenous Māori and their allies, aim to bring attention to Indigenous rights and are encouraged by the opposition party Te Pāti Māori. In response, Luxon stated that such actions are not sanctioned under New Zealand’s employment laws. Read more.
Sections 83-84 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 specify that lawful strikes must pertain to collective bargaining or health and safety issues. Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi expressed that Māori are willing to take the dispute to a broader arena, invoking New Zealand’s Bill of Rights and human rights standards to push their point. In an interview with RNZ, Waititi emphasized the importance of standing up for self-determination, or rangatiratanga, even in the face of potential legal challenges.
The strikes are part of the Toitū Te Tiriti movement, which seeks to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s foundational document between the British Crown and Māori. This movement has gained momentum through previous demonstrations at various historic Māori sites, including a meeting house of the Kīngitanga and treaty grounds earlier this year.
The call for strikes comes amid a tense political environment, exacerbated by recent government bills perceived as discriminatory towards Māori. These include the proposed reinstatement of local electorate polls on Māori constituencies and the repeal of protections for Māori children under the Oranga Tamariki Act.
New Zealand’s Transport Agency has shared footage of significant disruptions to traffic due to the protests. Budget documents will be distributed to the media at 10:30 AM under embargo before being released to the public at 2 PM this afternoon.
For the full article, please visit JURIST.