Statement from the Aotearoa Tech Union (ATU) following the March 15 2019 terrorist attacks in Christchurch.

Tech and IT workers keep New Zealand running. We have a responsibility as citizens to show compassion and understanding in the face of terror: many have a further duty of care as guardians of information safety and digital discourse in this country.

We, the representatives of Aotearoa Tech Union, urge tech workers, both members and unaffiliated, to uphold integrity in our working lives as individuals and as workers.

We founded our union on strong values of universal tolerance - they define our Charter and we will not compromise on these core principles. May we call out racism, white supremacy, and other forms of intolerance where we see it in our workplaces and in our communities. We must all consider the broader social impacts of our work, and ensure that the tools we build do not exacerbate social inequity.

And may we as a society welcome the many tech workers who were not born in New Zealand and the many tech workers who  face added prejudice or discrimination. There will, there must, always be a place for diversity in New Zealand, in tech, and in our union. In unity there is strength - and unity with any space for hatred is unconscionable.

Aotearoa Tech Union

[email protected]