New Zealand public servants strike nationwide over pay

Nearly 10,000 public servants in New Zealand have engaged in nationwide industrial action over pay disputes. The strikes involve workers from several key agencies, including the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities (MEC).

The Public Service Association (PSA) stated that workers rejected previous pay offers, seeking increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living to prevent wages from effectively decreasing. The largest single walkout involved over 5,000 staff from MSD, while approximately 2,700 workers from MBIE—including immigration and visa officers—also participated in the action.

Protesters held rallies in locations such as Wellington and Auckland, with demonstrators expressing concerns regarding austerity measures and the impact of service cuts on public welfare and national heritage.