New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union says they want progress in pay, staffing and resourcing. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) says it is "disappointed" after the firefighters union announced a one-hour strike, ahead of planned bargaining.
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) announced a one-hour full stoppage strike by paid firefighters on 17 October.
"Strike action of this nature by our paid firefighters will place an extra burden on our volunteer firefighters," FENZ said.
"Community safety is of the utmost priority to Fire and Emergency, and we want to reassure the public that we will do our best to maintain services during this period of industrial action."
The parties are scheduled to meet for bargaining on 9 and 10 October.
FENZ said it's goal had "always been to settle with the NZPFU".
It comes after FENZ made an offer in June (5.1 percent over three years), which was declined.
However, FENZ said it considered it's June offer to be sustainable.
"...balances cost of living pressures being faced by individuals, alongside fiscal pressures faced by Fire and Emergency and is consistent with the Government Workforce Policy Statement."
FENZ is yet to make another offer.
'Fed up' - NZPFU
NZPFU said members had not had a pay increase since July 2023.
"NZPFU members are fed up with the lack of progress and hope that the strike notice will motivate FENZ to come to the table next week with a revised position that deals with all outstanding issues including wages.
"The state of the fire appliances is dire and failing, leaving firefighters stranded on the way to calls, at station or even at the incident without water while internal firefighting," NZPFU said.
"The lack of staff, working excessive overtime, the dire state of appliances are all factors in the level and intensity of mental health issues for our members."
NZPFU said FENZ continued to fail firefighters with occupational cancer and had "been criticised in ACC reviews for not applying the law".
Union national secretary Joanne Watson said striking was a last resort.
"It's one of the hardest things that our members undertake. It's for an hour and that's hard enough for them because the community needs them," she said.
"Firefighters in New Zealand undertake 98 percent of all out of hospital cardiac arrests, and so we understand the pressure on the community and the concerns if they're away for an hour, but there's very little else in the toolbox for workers to put pressure on the employer to come back with a reasonable offer."
Watson said the union represented almost every career firefighter in New Zealand.
"The firefighters will be out, the dispatchers for fire in the 111 emergency dispatch centres across the country, and also we have volunteer support officers, trainers, we have people who work in risk reduction, safety, health and well-being, all sorts of roles, they will all be out," she said.
The one-hour full stoppage strike by paid firefighters is planned for 12pm-1pm on 17 October.
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