About us

A union is a group of employees working together to improve their pay and working conditions. The Aotearoa Legal Workers' Union is a democratic, member-led organisation that empowers legal workers to win a better deal. As an employee, you are legally entitled to be a member of a union.

Union members can negotiate better pay and conditions
We are stronger when we work together, and being a union member helps build the strength of legal workers both at your workplace and across the legal industry. Members can bargain together for a collective employment agreement at their workplace, and get to decide what terms they want to bargain for, such as overtime pay or improvements to remuneration. With strength in numbers, the terms of a collective agreement will be significantly better than the terms of individual employment agreements.

The union supports members with problems in their workplace
When a workplace issue arises, ALWU members have access to advocacy support and a pro bono panel of employment lawyers to provide advice, support, and representation.

Union members contribute to industry-wide improvements
ALWU and its members have helped change the legal industry, including by bringing transparency to compensation rates, ensuring compliance with minimum wage legislation, pressuring firms to adopt living wage policies, and challenging the enforceability of professionals bonding clauses.

Most legal workers and students are eligible for membership.

Ordinary membership
You can become an ordinary member if you work as a lawyer, in a policy or advocacy role that interfaces with the law, or in a role that supports legal workers. If you are an employer or a representative that deals with employees on an employer’s behalf (for example, you work in HR) you cannot become an ordinary member.

Student membership
You can become a student member if you are aged 16 years or older and in at least your second year of nationally accredited study that will qualify you to become a legal worker. If you have completed study in the last two years, you can also join under this category.

Solidarity membership
You can become a solidarity member if you support ALWU’s work but cannot join under another category. If you are eligible to become an ordinary member but don’t wish to be represented by ALWU in collective bargaining, you can instead choose to join under this category.

Fees are charged annually from 1 January and are due by 30 March, but are pro-rated on a quarterly basis if you join later in the year. Members may apply for a fee exemption or payment plan for reasons such as financial hardship.

Ordinary members
If you earn less than $50,001 before tax: free.
If you earn more than $50,001 before tax: $50 per year.
If you have a collective agreement: one percent of gross annual salary, subject to a vote of confirmation by members subject to that collective agreement.

Student members
Free.

Solidarity members
Annual donation of $50 or more requested.

No. You do not have to tell your employer that you are a member, and we will not tell them without your consent. It is illegal for your employer to discriminate against you in any way due to union membership or your involvement in union activities.

Use your personal email address and phone number when applying for membership and in other correspondence with us. If you use your work email address, your employer may be able to see that you’ve been communicating with us.

Members of the Aotearoa Legal Workers’ Union may belong to another union. Other unions may have different policies, so it’s best to check their eligibility rules.