Source: Radio New Zealand
About 2000 members of the Professional Firefighters’ Union will strike between 12-1pm. RNZ / Ruth Hill
Paid firefighters are walking off the job for one hour again today over their deadlocked contract negotiations with Fire and Emergency.
About 2000 members of the Professional Firefighters’ Union will strike between 12-1pm.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) deputy national commander Megan Stiffler said calls to 111 would be answered during that time and it will respond to fires in strike-affected areas – but there could be some delays, as callouts would be covered by volunteers.
“We have notified Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance that, for the one-hour strike, our volunteer crews won’t be able to respond to medical calls outside their patch.”
While the strike was “putting public safety at risk”, it would not affect most of the country, she said.
“The vast majority of communities are served by our more than 11,000 volunteers in nearly 600 stations across New Zealand who will respond as usual.”
Meanwhile, FENZ was urging people and businesses in towns and cities usually covered by professional firefighters to be “extra careful”, and avoid any work practices that could spark fire, and ensure tenants understood evacuation procedures.
Its offer to the union was (6.2 percent over three years) was “a fair and sustainable increase”, Stifler said.
“The Employment Relations Authority is currently considering our application to provide facilitation to bring the parties together and work constructively towards a resolution.
“We don’t see the point in putting the community at risk with this strike while that process plays out. The NZPFU’s recent settlement proposal is three times more than our offer, which was fair, reasonable and in line with other settlements across the public service.”
Union responds
The union’s national secretary, Wattie Watson, said the union had worked hard to get a settlement – but FENZ has refused to return to the table.
“FENZ has refused to adapt its position and last week refused to agree to new bargaining dates on the basis they only want to meet in facilitation. The Employment Relations Authority only received the final legal submissions yesterday and a decision is pending.
“Instead of actually trying to reach settlement and address the systemic failings of the fire service, FENZ has pushed on with an application for facilitation, attempted to present distorted information in the pursuit of that application, dropped a 260-page restructure document that culls about 160 jobs without consulting with the NZPFU or the PSA, refuses to address serious asbestos risks in Auckland, and continues to fail the community with a failing fleet and replace closed stations or those under extremely poor earthquake ratings.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
