Frequently Asked Questions
What are the N8 Union fees?
$6.00 per week for employed/waged people – TO BE PAID QUARTERLY $78.00 or YEARLY $312.00
$3.00 for non-working or retired people – TO BE PAID QUARTERLY $39.00 OR YEARLY $156.00
Please do not pay weekly or monthly
Why these payment frequencies only?
Where possible we want to avoid extra administration. This is so we can focus our efforts on helping our members.
How do I join N8WUNZ?
Please click on the “Join N8WUNZ” button above and below. This sends us your information and from there we will email you an invoice for your first lot of union fees.
How do I qualify for full advocate support?
You must have a paid quarterly membership. This entitles you to be fully supported by our Number 8 advocacy team
Does N8 take a portion of my payout when a employment relationship dispute is settled?
No DEFINITELY NOT – This is against N8 Union Rules. During negotiations with your employer for settlement of your employment problem, the Union will negotiate a seperate contribution towards legal costs. You as the employee agree to pay this seperate legal costs award to the union for the services they have provided, once the employer makes payment to you the employee. This is detailed in our “Terms of Engagement” and “Authority to Act” which all members sign at time of joining or prior to any workplace negotiations beginning.
How does N8 compare to other unions?
Other unions charge as much as $8.50 – $15.00 per week
What if I took my employment issue to an Employment Lawyer what would the cost be?
You would be looking at $5000 upwards. It is not unusual to pay $15000 to $25,000. This would come out of your settlement amount unless you negotiated something different with your lawyer.
Click here to go to an interesting FAQ from a NZ lawyer’s website
Is this union for students?
This union is for all workers in New Zealand who would like to maintain bodily autonomy. Students, self-employed including contractors and retired workers are all welcome.
Will N8 facilitate Collective Agreements?
Yes – but there needs to be multiple people in a workplace belonging to N8 to have a collective agreement. This applies to all unions, not just N8. Please see below for additional info around Collective Agreements
What is bodily autonomy and how do I protect my bodily autonomy?
Bodily autonomy is owning your body and DNA. We are not slaves working 24/7, and we should not have to be subject to injections, masks and intrusive testing in order to be employed. We are protected under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), section 172 (2) from having any bodily contact ( a sample taken) from even a Worksafe officer unless we give fully informed consent.
https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0070/latest/whole.html#DLM5977157
Mask mandates are unlawful
We are protected by the Crimes Act 1961 to breathe freely S189A
(https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/LMS138999.html )
We are protected from infectious diseases under the Health Act which requires testing of all surfaces in the case of a public health epidemic; the workplace e.g. surfaces and atmosphere testing and not the workers. Health Act 1956 sections 70 -90
What do I get for my money?
- Full legal support if cases proceed to the Employment Authority or Employment Court.
- Support in mediations with fee for service negotiated prior to mediation.
- Advocate support in workplace meetings as union resources allow.
- We are working toward the organisation of work groups under Part 3 of the HSWA .
- Organisation of “cease works” or strikes to protect your legal rights.
Is this union affiliated with any political parties?
No, definitely not. In fact we forbid any union officer to be involved in any political activity. Officers would need to resign from her/his office in that case.
What happened in the Yardley case?
Page 38 of the decisions says tha vaccines are “unlawful” https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/assets/cases/2022/2022-NZHC-291.pdf and why are there still mandates?
The order is unlawful, however the pre-existing workplace policy, as was pointed out by the judge, is able to be used. This is the reason that the Defence Force and the Police are still conducting a private mandate. The judge in the case did not comment on the legality of private mandates in an employment setting, because that is not the role of any court except the employment institutions (ie the Employment Authority and Court).
Why did NZTSOS and NZDSOS have an unsuccessful High court case?
Because the High Court is not an employment institution, and cannot make decisions about employment matters. (See above.)
Does a personal grievance have to be lodged within 90 days?
Section 114 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 says that a grievance is raised “…with his or her employer within the period of 90 days beginning with the date on which the action alleged to amount to a personal grievance occurred or came to the notice of the employee, whichever is the later…” This means that anyone objecting to being vaccinated, especially those who put in a Section 83 letter raised the grievance at that time, and the 90 day clock stops. https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2000/0024/latest/DLM60354.html
How do I leave my current union and what are the repercussions of leaving my current union?
Please check your current union rules. Usually it is simply a matter of writing them a letter of . You are still covered by an individual employment agreement until you join our union.
How would this affect the current collective agreements in place? How will bargaining work?
The collective that was in existence at the time of the grievance is the applicable contract. You will note that the most important thing about the collective is that it has no clause in it agreeing to medical intervention of any kind. Bargaining will be initiated for a collective agreement as soon as there are sufficient numbers in a workplace. A union organiser will come to your workplace previous to that time to hold recruitment meetings.
How would existing workplace policies in place work with this union?
Policies can gain contractual status if you agree to them, however the policy is the employer’s side of the contract and if they try to change the contract without your agreement, then it becomes a unilateral variation that breaches your side of the contract. It does not matter if 99 workers out of 100 agree to accept the variation, you, the one hundredth worker, do not have to accept. This is why whether to have a mandate agreed on by other workers is not irrelevant because changes in policy that affect the contract of employment that is personal to you cannot be legal without your agreement..
What advantages are there being a part of this union?
It is not political, and see the above “how much does it cost” and “what do I get for my money”
Is my workplace allowed to discriminate against me?
No. You will find the prohibited grounds of discrimination under Section 105 of the ERA.
Of particular importance in the C19 jab coercion scenario is Section 21 (1), (h),(vii) of Human Rights Act 1993. These descriptions in the HRA also apply to discrimination at work under Section 105 of the ERA.
My employer has said that they have collective agreements with other unions so N8 cannot represent me. Is this correct?
You are allowed to join any union you wish. It is your choice and you can advise your employer of this.
If the current employer I work for has a collective agreement with another union. Can N8 represent me if I choose them?
Yes. The number 8 union doesn’t yet have a collective with every single employer out there. So when you join the number 8 union, your employment agreement would be like an individual agreement and based on the terms of the collective with the largest number of members.
What do I say to my employer about changing unions?
Please tell your employer that you are joining the union of your choice and wish to no longer pay to the other union. Then you are free to pay subs to the number 8 union.
I am too scared to tell my employer about changing unions?
If you like, you can begin membership by paying to number 8 and at your request, the union will email your employer to confirm you are now a member of N8WUNZ and that you will be in an individual agreement from the existing collective agreement.
A Zero Hours Contract
Here is an example of zero hours contract for services and details how, if were an employment contract, it would offend section 65 (s) (a) of the Employment Relations Act 2000,
In particular
It would have no work description 65 (2) (a) ( ii )
It would have no indication as to where the employee is to perform the work 65 (2) (a) ( iii)
The agreed hours between the employee and employer would have to conform with section 67C of the Act There would have to be a relation to the times the employee is to work. 65 (2) (a) (iv)
There may be no resolution of PG information as required by 65 (2) (a)( vi)