The Parliamentary Governance and Administration Select Committee has formally launched an inquiry into FENZ’s fleet management.
Members of Parliament across the political spectrum have listened to NZPFU members and this afternoon have announced there will be a Select Committee inquiry into the dire state of FENZ’s fire fleet.
While NZPFU members have not had a pay increase since July 2023, with some ranks struggling at below living-wage levels, FENZ conducts an easter-egg hunt for HQ staff and Region offices.
The FENZ Board, executive leadership, Public Services Commission and the Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden have no shame in boosting the FENZ Board members' payments up 79% while many firefighters languish just above the minimum wage and well below the living wage.
FENZ has made the decision to take money out of our pay before any strike action has even occurred.
That's a deliberate choice, and it is a serious escalation of the bargaining.
FENZ is deducting wages for strikes yet to occur, which is not lawful or reasonable.
The NZPFU is calling for an independent inquiry into FENZ to examine why FENZ has failed to manage funding to ensure that it has the capacity and capability for reliable emergency response to the New Zealand public, now and in the future.
Due to the moving extreme weather events warranting civil emergencies and deployments of additional resources including USAR and water rescue teams, and clean ups in the aftermath, the NZPFU has cancelled todays strike.
The Whanaungatanga Programme Wellbeing Survey will be sent to all FENZ staff on Monday 30 March 2026 and closes on 27 April 2026.
Yesterday the NZPFU wrote to Kerry Gregory setting out our concerns with FENZ’s attacks on our membership through its attacks on the union, the fact there are currently no plans to get back to bargaining, and warned that the current path FENZ appears to be on will have disastrous impact on emergency response to the New Zealand community.
In November 2025, FENZ dropped a 260-page document that affected more than 700 positions and more than hundreds of roles to be
disestablished.
The NZPFU and PSA filed an urgent action last year in a bid to stop the restructure claiming FENZ had failed to consult in accordance with
the provisions of the collective agreement.
Today the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) released its decision finding that FENZ failed to consult in accordance with the collective
agreement provisions, that it failed to consult on whether change should occur or at a time when the Unions could influence an outcome, and
failed to consult in a manner driven by a desire to reach consensus. It also found FENZ’s conduct breached the obligation of good faith.
Yesterday the ERA contacted the NZPFU requesting our availability for facilitated bargaining on the 30th and 31st
March 2026. There had obviously been previous communications between the ERA and FENZ (that we had not been copied into) and despite
requesting that correspondence we did not receive it.
The NZPFU accepted facilitation on the basis that FENZ would provide a new offer that CE Kerry Gregory had earlier told the Union it was
being worked on.
Today the NZPFU accepted two days of facilitated bargaining on the basis that FENZ brings an enhanced offer to the table.
We were contacted by the Employment Relations Authority today offering the 30th and 31st March for facilitated
bargaining. The NZPFU has consistently been calling for bargaining to recommence as we cannot resolve this dispute unless we are around the
table genuinely negotiating.
NZPFU members walk off the job for one hour from 12 noon today with no bargaining in sight.
In February the NZPFU wrote FENZ with the outcome of strike ballots taken during the national round of membership meetings in
February. We were asking for bargaining to recommence and proposed a process for tackling the big issues in particular.
NZPFU members will be out in force for one hour from 12 noon tomorrow as they continue their strike action in a bid for a fair and reasonable collective agreement.
Yesterday, the NZPFU notified our members and supporters that FENZ was spending between $70,000 and $99,000 a week on a media campaign against the NZPFU one-hour strikes.
The NZPFU FENZ bargaining is currently in abeyance with no bargaining dates agreed.
The parties met for facilitated bargaining on 7 occasions with the last session on the 13th February 2026. Facilitation has been adjourned
and, from the NZPFU’s perspective, that process was not successful.
Since the NZPFU one-hour strikes started in October 2025, FENZ has been burning through $70,000 to $99,000 a week on a media campaign against the NZPFU one-hour strikes.
FENZ management have exposed their true colours in their latest salvo against striking NZPFU members, including striking firefighters and 111 emergency call centre dispatchers.
The NZPFU has issued a notice of new industrial action commencing on 23 March 2026.
The new industrial action does not affect emergency response and is primarily bans on administrative and other functions and tasks that is
unlikely to be noticed by the general public.
The NZPFU membership has overwhelmingly voted for more strike action.
The NZPFU membership is as strong as ever in its resolve to fight for a fair and reasonable collective agreement that embeds safe systems of
work—crucial for emergency response and the protection of the community.
Today we stand with all those affected by the deadly Christchurch earthquake 15 years ago today.
The earthquake decimated parts of Christchurch, leaving 185 dead in its wake. It may be the 15th anniversary, but for many, the impact is as
devastating today as it was then.
The NZPFU National Committee has determined to cancel today's strike that was scheduled for one hour from 12 noon.
We are sadly informing NZPFU members that Honorary Life Member Vern Greenham has passed away.
The NZPFU will hold national strikes for one hour from 12 noon this Friday the 13th and on Monday 16th February 2026.
The NZPFU has now escalated the strike action to two one-hour strikes per week in a bid to put pressure on FENZ to change their position. As
is usual practice the National Committee meets every week to discuss the pending Friday and Monday strikes and the National Committee has
determined this Friday and Monday the 16th will proceed.
The NZPFU and FENZ were in facilitated bargaining this week. At the close of that bargaining FENZ agreed to provide specific information we have requested which we say is necessary for us to have a full understanding of what FENZ claims is fiscal restrictions by Treasury, Government and the Public Service and what is FENZ’s determined limitations.
The NZPFU has cancelled this Friday’s full strike due to the ongoing operations in the storm-devastated areas in the North Island. The strike scheduled to occur for one hour from 12 noon on Friday 30 January 2026 will not proceed.
The NZPFU has cancelled the one-hour full strike scheduled from 12 noon tomorrow (Friday 23 January 2026).
The NZPFU and PSA case contesting the FENZ restructure will be heard in the Employment Relations Authority in Wellington on Thursday.
About 300 NZPFU members have not received 1.5 times the overtime rate for working on Public Holidays in 2026.
The NZPFU has received information detailing FENZ senior management misusing Auckland Transport CCTV to undertake surveillance of striking NZPFU members and their supporters, including members of the public.
Volunteers, off duty career firefighters, 111 emergency call centre dispatchers, VSOs, trainers, Risk Reduction staff, and those working in health and safety can all kick back and relax today as the NZPFU has called off today’s strike.
On behalf of the National President Joseph Stanley and National Vice President Martin Campbell we wish all NZPFU members and supporters a happy and safe festive season.
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.
At 6pm today (Monday 10th November) FENZ Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler sent out an email to staff in the Community
Resilience and Risk Reduction teams inviting them to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss proposed restructuring and “what it could mean for
your roles”.
The staff have not been provided with any information at all about the proposal so they are naturally thinking the worst case scenario –
FENZ wants them gone.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Chris 'Picko' Pickering, who has died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family.
The NZPFU and FENZ met for bargaining over three days this week.
The discussions were meaningful.
It was refreshing to be able to have intelligent and thoughtful discussions which was in stark contrast to the first 12 months of bargaining
where some FENZ representatives were disinterested, disrespectful and out of their depth.