Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is urging people and businesses in cities and towns, primarily served by career firefighters, to remain extra careful during the career firefighters’ full withdrawal of labour between 12pm and 1pm on Friday 17 October 2025.
“We will answer 111 fire calls and respond to fires in affected areas, but in areas covered by career firefighters, our response to fires will be delayed,” Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says.
“Volunteers in urban areas will respond from their own stations and in their own trucks to help as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies at one time.
“But it will take longer for our volunteer crews to respond as their stations are further away,” Megan Stiffler says.
“Community safety is of the utmost priority for us. The strike will occur on a weekday, and we are increasing our fire safety messaging.
“We’re asking businesses to be extra careful around any work practices that could result in fire, and make sure their tenants understand their evacuation schemes and procedures,” she says.
“We are advising everyone that, should there be a fire, still call 111 and evacuate early and, once out, stay out.
“People should check their smoke alarms and their escape plans.”
Megan Stiffler says Fire and Emergency will prioritise emergencies and as a result may not respond to less serious incidents in towns and cities during the one-hour strike.
“For example, private fire alarms where there is no evidence of a fire, small rubbish fires, assisting traffic management and animal rescues. This will ensure our resources are focused where they are needed most,” Megan Stiffler says.
“We have notified Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance that, for the one-hour strike, our volunteer crews won’t be responding to medical calls outside their patch.
“I want to reassure people that this strike action will not affect most parts of the country which is served by our more than 11,000 volunteers in nearly 600 stations across New Zealand who will respond as usual.
Industrial negotiations:
“Fire and Emergency applied for facilitation with the Employment Relations Authority last week, under urgency. This is an alternative intended to assist parties who have been engaged in protracted bargaining to reach an agreement,” Megan Stiffler says.
“Facilitation is specifically available when strike action has been notified that is likely to endanger the life, safety, or health of persons, which is the case with the NZPFU notified strike action.
“The Authority has granted urgency to our application for facilitation and has directed the parties to attend mediation before 28 October (10 working days) to discuss next steps for facilitation. We hope to have date for this confirmed soon,” Megan Stiffler says.
“We’re disappointed that the NZPFU has rejected our offer of a 5.1 percent pay increase over the next three years, as well as increases to some allowances, and that they have elected to withdraw their labour, compromising public safety.,” Megan Stiffler says.
“We consider the offer is 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.
“Fire and Emergency ‘s goal is, and has always been, to reach a fair, sustainable, and reasonable settlement with the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union. We are bargaining in good faith and doing everything we can to achieve an agreement without disrupting the services communities rely on. “
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union have been negotiating a collective employment agreement for career firefighters since 16 July 2024.
- Fire and Emergency has offered a 5.1 percent pay increase over the next three years, as well as increases to some allowances.
- Fire and Emergency considers the offer is 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.
- The previous 2022 collective employment agreement settlement provided a cumulative wage increase of up to 24 percent over a three-year period for career firefighters.
- Fire and Emergency has also been investing in replacing our fleet, with 317 trucks replaced since 2017 and another 78 on order. We are currently spending over $20 million per year on replacement trucks. There is also a significant programme of station upgrades underway, as well as investment in training.
- For the 2025/26 financial year Fire and Emergency’s operating budget is $857.9 million. Of that operating budget, 59 percent will be spent directly on the frontline, while another 32 percent is spent on frontline enablers. This means that over 90 percent of Fire and Emergency’s budget is spent on the frontline and the people directly supporting the frontline.
