Unions were also dominant in the lives of many New Zealanders in the 1970s, but not for a good thing. I grew up with a father who was a staunch union member. He was a marine engineer on the Cook Strait ferries, and I vividly remember the constant talk about "the award," which at the time seemed like a union version of the Bible. Strikes always seemed to occur just before the school holidays—maximum leverage to get their demands. But even as a 12-year-old, I couldn't help thinking that going on strike because your beds weren't being made just wasn't quite right.