Strike mobilises historic scale in public sector
In one of the largest labour actions in recent New Zealand history, more than 100,000 public-sector workers—from teachers and nurses to doctors, support staff and firefighters—staged a nationwide strike on Thursday, October 23, 2025, protesting poor pay, understaffing and deteriorating conditions across education and health services.
Rallies and marches were held in major cities including Auckland, Hamilton and Whangārei despite severe weather that forced cancellations in some regions.
Key sectors walk out
- Teachers: Over 60,000 teachers joined the strike demanding better pay, manageable workloads and more resources in classrooms.
- Nurses and health staff: Roughly 40,000 nurses and salaried medical specialists participated, raising alarms over staffing levels, wait times and burnout.
- Public-service and support staff: Around 15,000 other public-service employees also walked out, including support and administrative staff across government.
Demands and grievances
According to union leaders and striking workers:
- Pay offers from the government have lagged behind inflation and cost of living, effectively amounting to a pay cut.
- Staffing shortages are placing patient safety, student welfare and worker wellbeing at risk. A nurse in Hawke’s Bay said: “We fear for the safety of our patients… staff shortages have become overwhelming.”
- In education, teachers describe large classes, frequent curriculum changes, lack of support staff and high attrition. A teacher told the rally: “We feel empowered to be on strike, but we’re p***ed off at this government and sick of them undervaluing teachers.”
- More broadly, the strike is framed as a demand for the government to invest in public services rather than overstretch workers in an economy strained by inflation and labour shortages.
Government reaction and public sentiment
The government, led by the centre-right coalition under Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, labelled the action “politically motivated” and warned of disruption to children’s schooling and patients’ access. Public Service Minister Judith Collins called the strike “unfair, unnecessary and unproductive.”
However, public polling suggests strong support for the strike: approximately 65 % of New Zealanders backed the action, including nearly half of voters for the coalition government.
Impacts and disruptions
- Many schools closed and non-essential healthcare services were scaled back for the day.
- Rallies proceeded in cities such as Auckland (Aotea Square), Hamilton (approx. 10,000 participants) and Whangārei, despite adverse weather conditions.
- The strike comes amid a number of compounding pressures: high inflation, labour shortages, public services stretched thin, and significant numbers of New Zealanders emigrating.
Why the strike is significant
- It may be the largest single industrial action in New Zealand in decades, with some sources estimating up to 110,000 workers involved.
- It brings together multiple sectors (education, health, public service) rather than a single-industry strike, signaling broader discontent with public service funding and labour conditions.
- It places direct pressure on the government ahead of next year’s general election, giving union groups renewed leverage in collective bargaining and politics.
What happens next
- The unions have warned they will ballot for further strike action if government offers do not improve.
- The government faces the challenge of negotiating across multiple sectors, balancing fiscal constraints with rising public expectations for better pay and staffing.
- Observers will watch whether the strike becomes the catalyst for a wider labour resurgence in New Zealand’s public sector, or if it remains a short-term flashpoint.
The takeaway
The mega-strike of over 100,000 public-sector workers in New Zealand highlights deep frustrations with labour conditions, funding of essential services and the toll on workers. While the action has broad public backing and substantial symbolic weight, whether it leads to lasting change will depend on whether the government is prepared to meet demands — or whether the status quo remains firmly in place.
