Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
- NZPFU delay has cost average senior firefighter $2,600
Fire and Emergency New Zealand welcomes the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union’s agreement to take a proposal for two annual 2.2 percent salary increases, alongside new and increased allowances, to members for ratification.
When the new and increased allowances are included alongside salary and overtime increases, this will give an average increase in take-home pay of approximately 2.5 percent in the first year.
“This is a positive and important step. We have consistently sought a fair and sustainable collective agreement, and NZPFU members will now have the opportunity to directly consider a proposal that was first tabled in December 2025,” says Deputy Chief Executive People Janine Hearn.
When first tabled, it provided for a 2.2 percent increase from 1 December 2025 and a further 2.2 percent increase from 1 January 2027 over a 24-month term, alongside lump-sum payments, new and increased allowances and other provisions. The package was modelled at approximately $50 million over four years.
Janine says the decision to put the proposal to members is welcome, but the NZPFU’s delay in doing so has cost the average senior firefighter approximately $2,600 since the original offer was first tabled. She also noted the facilitation process did not produce a revised NZPFU pay position.
“During the most recent facilitation the NZPFU would not table a revised pay proposal or identify what pay outcome it would accept. That made it impossible for the parties to negotiate towards a different pay settlement.
“Every time Fire and Emergency has increased its offer, the NZPFU has hiked its settlement proposal taking the two parties further apart.
“Putting our proposal to members now creates a pathway to an outcome, but the NZPFU’s delay in doing so, also costs them.”
Currently senior firefighter base salaries are set at $80,600-$87,300. The proposal delivers an increase of approximately $1,773-$1,921 a year in gross base salary for those team members. In addition, the increase in average overtime earnings is worth approximately $858 per annum and the new and increased allowances worth approximately $410 per annum. In total, this equates to an average overall increase of 2.5 percent.
The Government’s Workforce Policy Statement expects settlements to avoid backdating any components of adjustments to pay and conditions, so delaying taking an offer out to members reduces the benefit ultimately available to those members.
The NZPFU’s 10-month delay in taking this proposal out to its members means they have missed out on those increases for 10 months. For the average senior firefighter, that equates to approximately $2,600 in lost income.
“That is real money for our people and illustrates why reaching a settlement matters. We will respect the NZPFU’s ratification process and await the outcome,” Janine says.