Jill Ovens

File:Jill Ovens Alliance Conference 2006.jpg

Jill Ovens in 2006

Jill Ovens is a New Zealand Unionist and former political candidate.

Union leader

She previously had a long history involved in New Zealand Unions, having served as the president of the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education and was heavily involved in the CTU Women’s Council Convenor and attended the ICFTU World Women’s Conference as one of two CTU delegates.

Alliance Party

Ovens was an Alliance candidate in Auckland's Mount Albert electorate in the 1999 elections and the 2002 elections, both times contesting the seat against Labour leader Helen Clark. On the party list, she was ranked 28th and 12th, respectively. Ovens became president of the Alliance party in 2004. She had previously been critical of the party's leader, Matt McCarten, for his close associations with the Maori Party. For the 2005 elections she unsuccessfully contested the Manukau East electorate and was ranked first on the party list, having been elected a co-leader with Paul Piese.

Labour Party

In 2006 she resigned as co-leader and left the Alliance party. After being elected the northern secretary of the Service and Food Workers' Union, she decided to join the Labour Party as it is affiliated with the Union.

Current Activities

Since her election to the SFWU Ovens has been occasionally blogging on Left Wing Social media website and supporting Union activities primarily based in Auckland. In December 2014 Ovens helped lead a walkout of Food Service Workers at Auckland Hospital.