On 12 March 2002 the Minister of Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia, and members of Te Kupenga Mahi, the Rail & Maritime Transport Union and invited guests gathered in the Maori Select Committee Room Number 1 in Parliament Buildings to celebrate the translation of the Tranz Rail Ltd Collective
Agreement (CA) into Te Reo.

[l to r] Maori Affairs Minister Hon Parekura Horomia, Te Kupenga Mahi's Peter Tapine, RMTU general secretary Wayne Butson and Tranz Rail manager Jeff Heisler

This is the first major employment CA to be translated into New Zealand's 'other' official language - Maori. With the translation and celebration the parties to the CA have given life to the spirit and intent of the Treaty partnership and it was in this spirit that the celebration was conducted.

[l to r] TRL's H&S team member Bruce McAlpine, staff instructor Wayne Ramanui and loco engineer Paul Ihaia

The pathway to the translation began with a then Wellington-based Tranz Metro engineer, Mike Paki, putting forward a remit to the local branch at a Tranz Rail Ltd (TRL) wage round. The remit was passed and progressed to the RMTU's TRL bargaining committee. It was then presented to TRL in the log of claims for that year.

Given TRL's long standing support for Te Kupenga Mahi we did not expect any difficulty in achieving the claim and as events transpired this was certainly the case.

[l to r] ex Wellington Tranz Metro loco engineer Mike Paki and Sam Kahui