New Zealand’s National Day - unofficial public holiday Friday August 14
Posted on 11th August 2020 by Russell Phillips
Friday August 14 is the first unofficial public holiday for New Zealand.
The holiday celebrates our “National Day” From this week onwards the holiday falls on 2nd Friday of August each year.
The call was made from Automotive Employment NZ, a niche market automotive recruitment company. It only seems fair say’s the company’s Director, Russ Phillips:
New Zealand has a Labour Day on October 26 that is supposed to celebrate the struggle for an eight-hour working day and celebrates the 40-hour working week. Heck how did that go? Not many of us have worked a 40-hour week for years!
Yes if we can have a day called Labour day, sure as heck we can have a National Day, all the more so given we don’t have a public holiday between the first week of June all the way to the 4th Monday in October, nearly 4 months!
It seems even more appropriate given August 14 is roughly the time of the National Party launch campaign. A perfectly reasonable time to call for the holiday.
There are a few conditions,
- All participants agree in principal to vote National; fibs are allowed but Russ says he has complete support from his team and others joining in. Everyone has “said” they are voting National this year so everyone gets the day off. When asked if full participation had any bearing on being given a paid day off Russ says, how could this be? it’s the same thing as Labour day really, many workers don’t get paid for overtime over 40 hours but they still take off Labour day” same difference is it not?
- Wear blue. There is nothing like being in tune with the colour of our national flag says Russ. When told the flag also includes the colour Red and White, Russ says firstly white is not a colour, the spectrum of light waves doesn’t count white as a true physical colour. The same could be said for black and you don’t see anyone voting for NZ first do you says Russ, maybe because their logo is black nobody notices.
As for red Russ believes this is best left for Labour day, its not far away now you know so lets not spoil our day with it being all about colour, there is far too much of this sought of thing these days and I see no need to discriminate.
- Watching the Blues. While this is preferable, we understand there are one or two of you living over the Bombay Hills so we are flexible on this but that lot in Canterbury will need to use a bit of imagination. Where match day occurs on the 14th perhaps they can wear their lucky “Blue” sox for the weekend.
Whether you wear blue sox or only pretend to vote for National its all good. Lets be honest it’s a damn good excuse to have a day off says Russ.
Participating holiday makers are encouraged to check with their employers first, but either way Automotive Employment NZ will be out of the office this year on August 14 and on the second Friday in August each year thereafter. We thought this might be a good way to let you all know.
We will return your calls and emails on the Monday following our return says Russ….happy Holidays!