The Green Party has proposed that new employees be enrolled in a union by default, with the ability to opt out, rather than having to opt in. As reported by the NZ Herald on 16 July 2026, the policy would give automatically enrolled workers a first month of free membership and let anyone resign effective immediately on request. Green workplace relations spokesman Teanau Tuiono said the aim is to strengthen workers' collective voice and widen access to union representation and support, and co-leader Marama Davidson said it would return settings closer to those in place before the Employment Contracts Act 1991 cut back the role of unions. The Council of Trade Unions backed the proposal.

The result

The Herald reported that Labour would not commit either way. Workplace relations spokeswoman Jan Tinetti said Labour strongly supports unions and the role they play in securing fair pay and safe workplaces, but said the party would release its full policies in due course. ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar opposed the idea, saying it replaces free choice with government coercion and that unions wanting more members should instead persuade workers that membership is worth having.