Labour Day

Pictured - Tommy Wells, vice-president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, addresses a crowd of wharfies and supporters outside Parliament during the waterfront dispute. 

Photo credit - Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 114/295/01-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22678097

Labour Day recognises the contributions of workers and commemorates their historical struggle for improved working conditions, particularly the establishment of the standardised eight-hour workday. This right was first achieved in 1840, but it wasn’t until 1900 that it became a public holiday. New Zealand workers were among the pioneers at a global scale in advocating for this reform.

One of Haigh Lyon’s founding partners, Frank Haigh, along with his son who worked at the firm, John Haigh KC, were prominent legal advocates for unions and workers. Frank played a significant role in representing the waterside workers during the 1951 waterfront dispute. John followed in his father’s footsteps to represent some of the largest unions at that time, including the Northern Labourers Union, the Seamen’s Union, the Northern Drivers Union, the Watersiders Union, the Storemen and Packers Union.

The first Labour Day was celebrated on 28 October 1890, when thousands of trade union members and supporters participated in parades across the country. This date represented the anniversary of the Maritime Council being established, which was a transport and mining union organisation. Early Labour Day parades attracted large crowds in locations such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Palmerston North and Napier.

The union movement recuperated and gained traction under the Liberal government in the mid-1890s. While some workers had secured an eight-hour workday, many others continued to work long hours seven days a week. Union leaders advocated for legislation to mandate the eight-hour day for all workers, but the government was cautious about agitating the business community. 

Over the years, the eight-hour workday became an industry standard with the 40-hour working week established through the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act 1936. Yet the Employment Contracts Act 1991 saw the end of compulsory union membership which deregulated the labour market, with collective agreements converting into individual employment agreements.

Today, the eight-hour working day and five-day working week are implied as being standard in employment agreements under the Minimum Wage Act 1983.

Labour Day is a reminder of the historical journey of workers and their organisations. It acknowledges the achievements of past generations while encouraging ongoing discussions about the changing landscape of work and employment rights.

Labour Day information

• Labour day commemorates the efforts of workers for a standardised eight-hour working day. Achieved in 1840, but only became a public holiday in 1900.

• NZ workers were among the first in the world to claim this right. 

• The first Labour Day was celebrated on 28 October 1890. On this day, thousands of trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main centres. This day marked the anniversary of the establishment of the Maritime Council, which was an organisation of transport and mining unions. This disbanded after defeat in a trans-Tasman Maritime Strike in late 1890. 

• From the mid-1890s the union movement began to slowly recover under the Liberal government. 

• Early Labour Day parades drew huge crowds in places such as Palmerston North and Napier as well as in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Unionists and supporters marched behind colourful banners and ornate floats, and the parades were followed by popular picnics and sports events.

• These parades also had a political purpose. Although workers in some industries had long enjoyed an eight-hour day, it was not a legal entitlement. Other workers, including seamen, farm labourers, and hotel, restaurant and shop employees, still worked much longer hours. Many also endured unpleasant and sometimes dangerous working conditions. 

• Unionists wanted the Liberals to pass legislation enforcing an eight-hour day for all workers, but the government was reluctant to antagonise the business community.

• However, over time the eight-hour day became an industry standard. Many continued to work longer than 40-hour weeks. Eventually, 40 hour weeks were brought into legislation by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act 1936.

• Today, the eight-hour working day is implicit in the Minimum Wage Act 1983 which sets out a maximum of 40-hour, five day work weeks as the norm for employment agreements.

• End of compulsory unionism - One of the first measures the National government elected in 1990 implemented was the Employment Contracts Act 1991, this ended compulsory unionism and deregulated labour markets and turned all collective contracts into individual contracts between employee and employer.