The NZPFU has initiated bargaining in accordance with the requirements of the Employment Relations Act 2020. The current collective agreement expires 30 June 2024 but remains in force.
NZPFU and FENZ representatives have already been meeting to discuss the bargaining process and scheduling of pre-bargaining meetings where bargaining meeting dates commencing in July 2024 to be agreed. We have already discussed information-sharing processes that were achieved late in the last bargaining round with the involvement of independent consultants in the hope of truncating the bargaining period.
The coverage notified is the coverage of the current collective employment agreement and the following positions/ranks.
- Group Manager
- Assistant Fire Commander
- Community Risk Manager
- Senior Specialist Fire Investigator
- Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor
- Safety, Health and Wellbeing Senior Advisor
- Safety, Health and Wellbeing Team Leader
- Welfare Officer
- Manager Wellbeing
- Rehabilitation Coordinator
- USAR Support Officer
- Equipment Support Officer
- Region Equipment Coordinator
- Resource Coordinator
- Assistant Resource Coordinator
As the National Committee is primarily representative of firefighters, the NZPFU has been holding meetings with the other groups of employees to discuss and develop claims.
As was done in the 2021 bargaining, the NZPFU will hold a series of zoom meetings to go through the claims with members.
We will also timetable in face-to-face membership meetings from August 2024 to update on the progress of bargaining which, depending on the circumstances, may include industrial action ballots.
In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary
