FIRST Union has a membership of more than 31,000 as of 1 October 2023 and is affiliated with the
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. It is also affiliated to various
international federations through its five sectors; Finance, Industrial (Textile, Clothing, Baking, Wood, Energy), Retail, Stores (distribution and logistics) and Transport. While not affiliated with the
New Zealand Labour Party, former
NDU secretary
Laila Harré (as an
Alliance MP) served in the
Fifth Labour Government as Minister for Women's Affairs and was the primary architect of the country's paid parental leave system. The current General Secretary is Dennis Maga, the first Asian New Zealander to lead a major New Zealand trade union. Maga was born in the Philippines and elected general secretary in November 2017. ==History==