About 80 First Union members attended a meeting yesterday in Burns Hall, which was chaired by First Union general secretary Robert Reid, of Auckland.
The meeting detailed the union's response to increasing poverty and inequality in New Zealand.
Mr Reid had talked to about 20 members in Gore and about 80 members in Invercargill on Wednesday, he said.
Members had been encouraged to sign a ''pledge sheet'' to be given to the Government demanding a living wage, jobs for all, secure and safe workplace, 26 weeks' paid parental leave and fair employment law.
Mr Reid said the union had struggled to get members a decent wage increase in the past five years.
When inflation was more than 5%, union negotiators could demand wage increases, he said.
But as inflation was less than 1%, the ''bosses are banging on the table'' and telling union negotiators they should be happy with a 1% wage increase, he said.
However, many of the members' pay packets were too small and pay rates were below the $18.40 ''living wage'', he said.
The inquiry that set the living wage rate had revealed the minimum wage rate was ''$4 behind'' providing workers enough money to survive.
The union wanted the living wage rate to be the minimum wage rate.
''The minimum wage is completely unrealistic.''
The Warehouse retail assistant Christine McCormack, of Dunedin, stood up at the meeting and urged her fellow union members to vote, and encourage others to vote, at next year's general election.
''The Government is screwing us. We have to do something. I've had enough,'' she said.
First Union represents workers in the finance, industrial (textile and wood), retail, stores and transport industry.
