Episode Playlist
Workers Memorial Day and May Day Recaps, and Health & Safety( 0:30:20)
Episode Information
Today, Jon (E tū), Andy (PPTA), and Josh Jr, joined later in the episode by Ben (TEU), debrief and discuss Worker’s Memorial Day (April 28th) and May Day (May 1st) events as well as touching upon Health & Safety at work.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
Published: 5/05/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Workers Memorial Day( 0:28:2)
Episode Information
This episode sees John Shennan of R.U.M and Andy Rothville from PPTA discussing the upcoming Workers' Memorial Day and the changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act currently being proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations Brooke Van Velden. Workers' Memorial Day will be coming up on 28 April and this annual commemoration serves as a timely reminder of why unions have fought so hard to build and improve health and safety legislation and systems in Aotearoa."
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
Published: 21/04/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Calling All Workers - Organiser Origins - Georgia Davey Part 2( 0:26:51)
Episode Information
CAW is back in effect! Today’s episode is Part Two of Georgia Davey’s Organiser Origins interview looking at her political origins and entry to the union movement. Georgia is an organiser with the Tertiary Education Union | Te Hautū Kahurangi (TEU). We also play ‘Cry Evil’ by Iluka to end out the episode. Feminist rage!
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
Published: 31/03/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Organiser Origins - Georgia Davey Part 1( 0:29:57)
Episode Information
CAW is back in effect! Today’s episode is Part One of Georgia Davey’s Organiser Origins interview looking at her political origins and entry to the union movement. Georgia is an organiser with the Tertiary Education Union | Te Hautū Kahurangi (TEU) and we’re so excited to have her with us in Unions Manawatū.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
Published: 24/03/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Ben (TEU) and Jon (E Tū) Discuss Law( 0:33:35)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson (E Tū) speaks with Ben Schmidt from the Tertiary Education Union about the major attacks on workers contained in the government’s Employment Relations Amendment Bill and the proposed Employment Leave Act. They discuss changes affecting contractor status, natural‑justice rights in personal‑grievance cases, the “fire‑at‑will” provisions for workers earning over $200k, and the impact of redefining serious misconduct. The conversation also examines proposed changes to annual‑leave and sick‑leave entitlements, how these would affect part‑time and shift workers, and the wider implications for collective bargaining. Jon and Ben also look ahead to union actions planned throughout 2026, including Workers’ Memorial Day, May Day, Labor Day, Working Women’s Week, and election‑year organising.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 10/02/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Delegate Interview - Josh( 0:33:6)
Episode Information
Today is the first of 2026’s new interview series with current and ex union delegates. Today’s guest is Josh Jr, ex Workers First delegate. We discuss his beginnings in the union movement, how he was recruited and became a delegate, and his thoughts on the current and future of the union movement in Aotearoa.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 3/02/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Organiser Origins - John Shennan Part 4 of 4( 0:40:59)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson presents part 4 of 4 of his long‑form conversation with John Shennan from the Retired Unionists Movement. John discusses the later history of unionism in Manawatū, including the Longburn freezing works, early organising efforts across the region, and key figures such as Norm Burns, Colleen Te Tana, Joanna Tapper, Maxine Gay, Paul Hemmingson, and Alan Miller. He reflects on the industrial power of unions like the engine drivers, the fragmentation of teacher unions, and the impact of major public‑sector disputes. The conversation also covers the political climate facing today’s unions, recent government actions affecting workers, and the pressures shaping the current wave of public‑sector strikes.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 13/01/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Organiser Origins - John Shennan Part 3 of 4( 0:32:42)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson presents part 3 of 4 of his conversation with John Shennan from the Retired Unionists Movement. John reflects on the formation and early years of Unions Manawatū, the effects of the Employment Contracts Act, and the efforts to rebuild union structures in the region. He discusses major national splits in the trade‑union movement, including the formation of the NZCTU, the role of unions such as TUF, and the influence of organisers like Maxine Gay. The discussion also covers early local organising in Palmerston North, the absence of established structures in the 1990s, and the varied unions operating in the region, including the brewery workers, engine drivers, and others who shaped industrial activity at the time.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 6/01/2026 4:00:00 p.m.
Organiser Origins - John Shennan Part 2 of 4( 0:30:51)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson presents part 2 of 4 in his series of conversations with John Shennan, exploring John’s political beginnings and the influences that led him toward union organising. John reflects on his early involvement in the Young Nationals, his shift toward the Labour Party, and his later engagement with socialist and communist groups. The discussion covers the political environment of the 1960s and 70s, the development of unionism in Manawatū, and the history and internal changes within New Zealand’s left‑wing organisations during that period.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 30/12/2025 4:00:00 p.m.
Organiser Origins - John Shennan Part 1 of 4( 0:32:35)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson talks with John Shennan about the experiences that shaped his beginnings as a unionist. John reflects on the political ideas that first influenced him, his early exposure to activism, and the protest movements he took part in during the 1970s. He discusses encounters with organisers who shaped his understanding of collective action, his first arrests during political demonstrations, and how these moments led him toward organised labour. Jon and John also explore the early union landscape John entered, including the role of the PSA and the growth of industrial and community‑based organising during that period.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 23/12/2025 4:00:00 p.m.
Cathy Keane (NZEI) Origins Pt 1( 0:30:48)
Episode Information
Today, Jon (E tū) interviews Cathy Keane of NZEI about her origins in the union movement. We play a solid working-class track at the end, tune in to see which it is.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 16/12/2025 4:30:00 p.m.
Cathy Keane (NZEI) Origins Pt 1( 0:30:48)
Episode Information
Today, Jon (E Tū) interviews Cathy Keane of NZEI about her origins in the union movement. We play a solid working-class track at the end, tune in to see which it is.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 16/12/2025 4:30:00 p.m.
Keep Maori Wards Pt 2( 0:29:0)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson talks with Ben Schmidt from the Tertiary Education Union and John Shennan from the Retired Unionists Movement in part two of their debrief on the Keep Māori Wards campaign. They discuss lessons from the campaign, the role of community coalitions, the importance of workplace and door‑knocking conversations, challenges posed by voter‑enrolment law changes, and the organising needed to prepare for future right‑wing efforts to roll back gains.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 9/12/2025 4:00:00 p.m.
Keep Maori Wards Pt 1( 0:29:40)
Episode Information
Jon Pawson speaks with Ben Schmidt from the Tertiary Education Union and John Shennan from the Retired Unionists Movement about union perspectives on Māori wards, the obligations created by union constitutions, and the importance of solidarity in Treaty‑related advocacy. They discuss local‑government decision‑making, the development of the Māori wards campaign, and workplace engagement used to build support.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 2/12/2025 4:00:00 p.m.
Glenn Barclay on Tax Issues( 0:29:21)
Episode Information
John Shennan interviews Glenn Barclay about tax policy in Aotearoa, including the goals of the Better Taxes for a Better Future campaign, progressive and regressive tax settings, GST, capital gains and wealth taxes, and findings from Inland Revenue’s research on effective tax rates. They discuss proposed tax changes from political parties, international comparisons, and additional measures such as digital taxation, trust levies, and adjustments to income‑tax bands. The conversation also covers public‑revenue requirements, fiscal challenges, and ways listeners can get involved in tax‑related advocacy.
Produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of NZ On Air.
Published: 25/11/2025 4:00:00 p.m.