Business Law Library & Tracker
Unions, Collective Bargaining & Industrial Action
Collective agreements, union rights, bargaining, strikes and lockouts.
Sources last reviewed 28 July 2026
Main law guides
157
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
60
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
96
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
8
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
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Cases
Lyttelton Port Company Limited v Maritime Union of New Zealand
Employers should ensure any health monitoring policy is consistent with the terms of collective agreements and statutory obligations. Policies that go beyond agreed...
Lyttelton Port Company Ltd v Maritime Union of New Zealand and Anor
Employers planning restructures should carefully review their collective agreements to ensure they meet consultation requirements. The Court confirmed that...
McGearty v Air New Zealand Ltd
Employers cannot rely solely on collective agreements or industry standards to justify actions that disadvantage employees due to age. They must actively consider...
Tighe-Umbers v Jetconnect Limited
Employers must not rush to dismiss staff who cannot comply with health orders. Instead, they should carefully consider all reasonable alternatives, including leave...
Carrington Jade LP v Grant
Employers must ensure they correctly classify workers as casual or permanent employees, comply with holiday pay obligations, and follow fair dismissal procedures....
E Tū Inc v New Zealand Steel Ltd
The Employment Court confirmed that make-up pay is triggered when an employee, at the employer’s request, works outside their established ordinary hours and cannot...
Glenfield College BOT & Ors v Anderson
This case underscores that employers must handle reductions in employee hours with care. Even if a collective agreement contains provisions about hours, unilateral...
Television New Zealand Ltd v E Tū Incorporated
Employers must carefully follow the consultation and participation requirements in their collective agreements, especially when making significant changes such as...
Le Gros v Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd
Employers should review their employment agreements and policies to ensure clarity around long service leave entitlements. This case highlights the importance of...
Nelmac Ltd v Reunited Employees Assoc Inc
The Employment Court confirmed that both employers and unions must uphold the duty of good faith during collective bargaining. If negotiations become antagonistic...
New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Assoc IUOW Inc v Tasman Cargo Airlines Pty Ltd
If you announce a pay rise to all eligible staff, you must honour it for union members, even if collective bargaining starts soon after. Withholding a promised...
Pact Group v Sheridan
The Employment Court confirmed that when a collective agreement requires 'two weeks' written notice', the notice period starts the day after the notice is given....
Affco New Zealand Limited v New Zealand Meat Workers and Related Trades Union Inc and Others
If your business relies on returning seasonal staff, do not assume the off-season gives you a clean slate to reset employment terms. This case shows that where...
Evgeny Orlov v Anza Distributing (NZ) Limited (In liquidation) and USG Interiors Pacific Limited
If your business wants both settlement certainty and an appellate ruling, do not assume you can safely settle first and appeal later. This case shows that once a...