As government cuts bite, public service unions can use ‘soft power’ as well as strikes to win support
- Written by Jim Arrowsmith, Professor, School of Management, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

Cuts to the public service, the decision to halt all pay equity claims, and the tight 2025 budget mean public service workers are facing an uncertain future.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the health sector. Since the 2024 budget, Health NZ has faced several reductions across its workforce. Nurses and rest home...