An attempt by FENZ to try and drive a wedge between volunteers and the NZPFU career firefighters has backfired with a surge of support for career firefighters by volunteers.
Today FENZ filed an urgent application in the Employment Relations Authority as its latest salvo against the NZPFU and its members.
We deny the allegations and the legal action will be defended.
Contrary to the allegations, career firefighters and volunteer firefighters have a strong working relationship and we will continue to
foster that relationship.
The NZPFU and PSA met with FENZ today in mediation resulting from our joint application to the Employment Relations Authority regarding the failure of FENZ to consult on the restructuring where FENZ plans to slash jobs and significantly change risk management and operational structures.
The NZPFU and FENZ met for facilitated bargaining on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The NZPFU was disappointed with the lack of reasonable progress made.
The Northern Drivers' Charitable Trust 2026 Skills & Training Scholarships are now open for applications, to 20 January 2026. A total of 10 scholarships of up to $3000 will be awarded for the 2026 year.
The Employment Relations Authority has set down facilitated bargaining for the 9th and 10th December – next Tuesday
and Wednesday – in Wellington
Thursday we are in mediation on the joint application we filed with the PSA on FENZ’s failure to consult with the Unions on the restructure
that will slash 160 jobs.
Approximately 2,000 NZPFU members will strike for one full hour from 12 noon today.
Notices have also been issued for the 12th and 19th December 2025.
These strikes could be avoided if FENZ agreed to meet and progress the bargaining. The notified strikes for the next two weeks will
be dependent on FENZ’s attitude to getting bargaining going again.
PPTA Secondary Teachers have accepted a pay offer of 2.5 and 2.1 over a 24-month contract.
Today, the Employment Relations Authority has issued a determination sending FENZ and the NZPFU to facilitated bargaining on the basis of
protracted bargaining.
FENZ has refused to meet or agree to bargaining dates pending that decision, despite the process not precluding the parties continuing to
meet to try and resolve the issues.
The NZPFU is taking legal advice on the decision.
About 2000 NZPFU members walk off the job for one hour today from midday in 19 cities and towns in a bid to try and get FENZ and the Government to act to address the dire state of the fire service.
FENZ’s application to send the parties to facilitation was heard in the Employment Relations Authority yesterday.
Today at 12 noon, NZPFU members will walk off the job for one hour, striking for safe systems of work and pleading with FENZ to prioritise community protection and safety.
The NZPFU and FENZ have been in bargaining for the past day and a half.
Yesterday the NZPFU put up an option resulting from the information we received the week before that FENZ would not agree to.
The NZPFU and PSA have filed legal action against Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s failure to consult on the botched restructuring proposal,
released last week.
When FENZ pre-warned that a restructuring document was to be released (without any information about the nature, scope or content of that
restructure), the NZPFU wrote to Kerry Gregory reminding him of the obligation to consult in accordance with the NZPFU FENZ collective
agreement, which does not limit consultation to the consequences of a proposed change, or to numbers, but also includes consultation on
whether change should occur and the reasoning behind that change.
Today the Employment Relations Authority adjourned the hearing of FENZ’s urgent application for facilitation determining that the Authority
was best served to allow bargaining to continue as planned next week and then to have updated evidence on the status of that bargaining.
FENZ filed for their urgent application for facilitation on the 7th October 2025.
That application was to be heard today.
The NZPFU has called off tomorrow's strike action.
The NZPFU and FENZ are back in bargaining Monday and Tuesday. The Union has received new information that is pivotal to the bargaining.
More information and an update on the annual conference held in Whanganui this week will follow.
The NZPFU has been informed that other staff including those working in health, safety and wellbeing team have also been notified of
meetings to discuss the impacts on their role.
Please text or email your Local secretary the time and date of such meetings and we will make sure Union representatives are there.
FENZ’s conduct of this process is appalling and we will be challenging it.
Members are advised that due to asbestos being identified in one sample bulk air supply tank that was used prior to 2023 to fill Breathing Apparatus (BA) cylinders at Auckland City Station, we are concerned about a possible risk of asbestos contamination in breathing apparatus cylinders that were filled from that air tank.