Richard Wagstaff was elected President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) in 2015. He was previously NZCTU Vice President and one of two national secretaries of the Public Service Association (PSA).

As national secretary of the PSA, Richard was responsible for overseeing the implementation of industrial and political strategies and operations for New Zealand’s largest trade union.  He held the position of national secretary of the PSA from 2000 until becoming NZCTU President in 2015.

Richard began working as a full time paid union official in 1988 as a researcher. Later he became an organiser working in Auckland with PSA members in the health and disability sectors. In 1997 Richard was appointed as national operations manager, responsible for PSA members throughout the country in the health and community sectors.