Minimum Shift Manning
Members will no doubt have heard that this past Saturday we had three appliances K0 and one appliance riding short crewed.
Members will no doubt have heard that this past Saturday we had three appliances K0 and one appliance riding short crewed.
Alex Forrest has taken every opportunity to educate firefighters and the media across the country and today, his last day in NZ, was no exception.
Members who are currently covered by the Union’s Compensation Insurance are advised that the recent remarket with the insurers occurred. This happens every 3 years and a number of significant changes have occurred.
Te Atatu MP Alfred Ngaro has put his support behind the campaign for presumptive legislation for occupational cancer.
Today Alex Forrest continued taking the message of the need for presumptive legislation to recognise firefighters’ occupational cancer to members.
Hastings man Brett "Gonzo" How put out fires for more than 30 years. It was all he ever wanted to do.
Alex Forrest’s commitment to achieving presumptive legislation to recognise firefighters’ occupational cancer is seeing him travel the length of NZ.
Invercargill Labour List MP Dr Liz Craig met with Alex Forrest, NZPFU Southland Branch President Graeme (Norm) Gilroy and National Secretary Wattie Watson today.
Congratulations James Hall who has been elected as Northern Branch Vice President. James has been active on the Auckland Local including acting President last year.
Christchurch Labour MP Poto Williams understandably has much to do in supporting her community at this time.
It may be Sunday but Alex Forrest keeps working for New Zealand’s professional firefighters.
We started to take the campaign for presumptive legislation to recognise occupational cancer on the road. National President Ian Wright joined us for the road trip and first stop was Masterton Fire Station for firefighters to hear about Alex’s experiences and the support firefighters can give to the campaign through sharing NZPFU posts through social media as well as posts from MPs that support the campaign.
As per the attached Ballot Declaration Form, I hereby declare:
Copy of correspondence from Terry Bird, regarding the Auckland Taskforce Survey:
Day three of the campaign trail included Alex Forrest briefing members of the Labour Government.
In between meetings with the National Committee and MPs, Alex used any spare time for station visits to talk to firefighters about the campaign and the preventative measures and programmes. We can never fully protect firefighters but we can minimise the exposures. Bagging and tagging contaminated PPE, showering as soon as possible to remove the spot and toxins, clean hoods and regularly cleaning helmets and helmet skirts are just a few of the measures firefighters take to minimise the impact of the absorption of toxins.
Alex Forrest, NZPFU President Ian Wright and National Secretary met with Minister Iain Lees-Galloway today and ACC advisors. Despite the many challenges for the Government this week, the Minister set aside almost an hour to hear about Alex’s international experience in presumptive legislation to recognise firefighters occupational cancer. This is the second meeting for the NZPFU with the Minister.
This morning Radio NZ reported on the NZPFU’s campaign for presumptive legislation to recognise firefighters’ occupational cancer. The report can be viewed above or heard via the link below:
The messages of support from our international brothers and sisters has continued with a personal message from Fire Brigades Union National Secretary Matt Wrack.
IAFF Canadian Trustee and Winnipeg Firefighters Union President Alex Forrest briefed the NZPFU National Committee today on the science and basis for presumptive legislation recognising occupational cancer.
Members will be aware that Canadian firefighter, lawyer and international expert on presumptive legislation, Alex Forrest is currently in the country to talk to politicians, media and firefighters.
The NZPFU has received messages of support from our global alliance of firefighting unions.
Members who were around in the 1990’s will remember Tom Goddard – Chief Judge of the Employment Court.
International expert/lawyer/firefighter and Winnipeg Firefighters Union President Alex Forrest hit the campaign trail running today with an interview with Radio New Zealand.
As the shock sets in and the magnitude of yesterday’s horrific events begin to be comprehended, there will be many needing support and care. There will be many directly and indirectly affected across the country.
FENZ are notifying all stations that they will no longer be in lock down - effective immediately.
Due to the situation in Christchurch, FENZ is making some precautionary changes to emergency response procedures.
#BalanceforBetterYesterday marked the 108th anniversary of International Women’s Day and the Hashtag above is one way we can recognise the women in our lives, whether at home or at work, those who have led by example in spearheading women into what is a great job, with great camaraderie and as we all know and understand, form our 2nd families.
How does a mystery getaway for two sound to you? Leave the kids at home, or dog, and enjoy a well-deserved break.
Today we celebrate the women in our lives – those that nurtured us, support us, our siblings and are amongst our family and friends.
The NZPFU has been strongly advocating for FENZ to shift its PFAS project to the safety and wellbeing of firefighters. PFAS is a group of human-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances manufactured and in use in a range of industries including firefighting foams. These include PFOS and PFOA.
All Auckland members covered by the NZPFU CEA will be sent a link to access the Auckland Taskforce Survey later today via their FENZ email address.
Members have been voicing their increasing concerns on the possible encroachment of non-career firefighters into key operational management roles.
We are thrilled to confirm that international expert/firefighter/lawyer and Winnipeg Firefighters Union President Alex Forrest will be here next month to kick off the NZPFU campaign for presumptive legislation to recognise firefighters’ occupational cancer.
FENZ has taken action to address the serious risk of CO exposure on the Nelson fire grounds.
The NZPFU has informed FENZ that monitoring for Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels and individual testing for firefighters are required in Nelson after three incidents of volunteer firefighters experiencing dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
By the closing date for nominations for the position of Tauranga Local Vice President, the following nominations have been received.
Members are advised that an interim national deployment policy has been agreed to. This has been based on the Christchurch negotiated policy.
Well work has well and truly started to ramp up here! There’s a few things I would like to cover off on this blog.
We have been advised by NHQ who have been advised by BNZ that there may be an issue in the pay run tonight.
The five Auckland NZPFU Representatives on the Auckland Working Group are currently visiting stations in Areas 3, 4 and 5 (including Comms and R1TC) to inform members of an upcoming electronic survey due for release in a few weeks.
Members attention is brought to the notice below from FENZ payroll whereby the texting of pay information to members will cease from early February. Members will still be able to access their pay information via Home Base.
The NZPFU was notified by members that as Regional Trainers they were being required to attend a Professional Development Live Fire Burn course (PTDP01812) that would include Rural participants, including some that may not be qualified BA wearers.
Today FENZ notified the NZPFU that the first holiday remediation payments to rostered employees that were scheduled to commence on 13 February 2019 have been delayed a month.
NZPFU members have reported that for some firefighters the newly issued wildfire jackets are ill-fitting with short sleeves that do not fully cover the arm.
The Auckland Working Group has advised the Local Committee that there will soon be a survey going out to all of those in the Auckland area covered by the CEA.
The Report of the Independent Review of Workplaces Practices commissioned by FENZ was publicly released today. The Review lead by Judge Coral Shaw has made 33 recommendations to “reshape” the organisation to adopt a zero tolerance approach to the issue of bullying and harassment.
FENZ have advised the NZPFU that the Independent Review of Workplace Practices lead by Judge Coral Shaw is to be released tomorrow following a media conference.
2018 was a fast paced and busy year with large amounts of change within both FENZ and the Union.It has become apparent that change is now the new norm, it is certainly the climate we will be working in for the next 2-3 years and as such we must adapt accordingly.Our role as a Union in this change is to mitigate risk and maximise opportunities that benefit Career Fire fighters, the organisation and the public as a whole.
By the closing date for nominations for the position of Northern Branch Vice President, the following nominations have been received.
Tis’ the season, or so the saying goes. However, whilst most workers are enjoying some well earnt time off over the Christmas break, Career firefighters, our members are leaving their families and loved ones at home and turning up to work to protect the community and enjoy the company of their second family.
The NZPFU is continuing to work with Regional and Property management to look at options to improve the current plans without delaying the project or the timeframes for members to move into the temporary Lichfield Station in Christchurch.
On Wednesday 19 December, the Fire and Emergency and NZPFU Auckland task force held their first meeting since their establishment in November.