NEWS

FENZ’S APPLICATION FOR FACILITATION HEADING TO MEDIATION
| Featured News

Yesterday afternoon (Monday) the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) set down a timetable for FENZ’s urgent application for facilitation of bargaining. The ERA member has directed parties to try and resolve the issue of facilitation in mediation to be held before 28 October 2025. The mediation is solely about FENZ’s application for facilitation and if the parties resolve the matter at mediation FENZ’s application for facilitation will be withdrawn.

NZPFU Strike Event Locations
| Featured News

Come and support our strike action – be there before 12 noon start and picket with the NZPFU members for an hour. Approximately 2,000 members are walking away from fire stations and workplaces for one hour from 12 noon on 17 October 2025.

FENZ is refusing to meet to bargain with the NZPFU or provide a new offer they say they have. We have no option but to take strike action.

FENZ PUT UNIFORMS AHEAD OF FIRE SAFETY
| Breaking News
Breaking News

FENZ management have issued instructions that firefighters wearing NZPFU t-shirts instead of FENZ t-shirts are not to undertake usual fire safety duties including installing smoke alarms and school visits.

This is a shockingly petty call by FENZ management to try and pressure firefighters at the expense of necessary fire safety programmes that particularly benefit children and the elderly.

| Southern Branch

An election for the Timaru Local President position shall be conducted by electronic voting commencing at 0900 (9am) Monday 6 October 2025 and closes 1700 (5pm) Friday 17 October 2025.

FENZ USES NOTIFED STRIKE AS AN EXCUSE TO WALK AWAY FROM BARGAINING - AGAIN
| Breaking News
Breaking News

FENZ has notified the NZPFU that it will not bargain with the NZPFU and will file for facilitation in the Employment Relations Authority unless we withdraw the notice for the one-hour stoppage on the 17th October. FENZ says it will not provide any new offer while the strike notice remains.

| Southern Branch

At the close of the nomination period the following three nominations have been received for the position of Timaru Local President.

| Kawerau Local

In 2007 the NZPFU and NZFS signed the attached Tauranga Kawerau Amalgamation document grandparenting conditions for those employed in the district and setting out transfers and travel terms and conditions.

In recent years the Tauranga and Kawerau Locals have been meeting with FENZ management to resolve matters affected by the 2007 agreement and the attached 2025 document has been drafted as a result.

| Southern Branch

At the close of the notified nominations period one nomination for the position of Timaru Local Secretary has been received.

I therefore declare Jeremy Gaskin as Timaru Local Secretary.

As a result there is the Timaru Local President position is now vacant.

Nominations are now called for the position of Timaru Local President.

PAY EQUITY AND WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE
| Featured News

NZPFU members are encouraged to participate in events organised around the country on Saturday, 20 September to protest the gutting of the pay equity legislation that the National-lead Government has claimed saved $13 billion and therefore taken from the wages of women workers.

| Featured News

The NZ Firefighters Welfare Society is conducting a survey to understand the types of support firefighters and fire agency personnel need.

| Breaking News
Breaking News

The Employment Relations Authority has agreed that the parental leave incentive payment for early return from parental leave is payable whether the NZPFU member sought 12 months leave or less.

NZPFU AND FENZ CONTINUE TO BARGAIN
| Featured News

Progress has been made in bargaining with FENZ now finding ways to agree to some NZPFU claims and undertaking to re-consider others. The NZPFU also moved on some matters.

NZPFU ORGANISES ONGOING BARGAINING
| Featured News

The NZPFU has made the practical preparations for bargaining to continue as planned on the 3rd and 4th September.

FENZ walked away from the bargaining during the August session unilaterally declaring that bargaining had ended.  FENZ then sought mediation.  The NZPFU has refused mediation as it is our strong view that bargaining has not concluded.  In fact, Workplace Relations Manager Michael Stephenson admitted in recent correspondence that there had been some productive discussions during the last day we met in bargaining.

| Southern Branch

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

| Auckland Local

Members are advised that pursuant to Union Rule B.15.11, notice is given for the Auckland Local Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday 4 September 2025.

| Featured News

The NZPFU Uniform and PPE group have been continuing their work to update the structural firefighting boots and helmets that are available for ordering by Career Firefighters.

| Gisborne Local

An election for the Gisborne Local Vice President position shall be conducted by electronic voting commencing at 0900 (9am) Monday 25 August 2025 and closes 1700 (5pm) Friday 5 September 2025.

| Tauranga Local

The Tauranga Local AGM will be held on Thursday 28th August @ 10:30am

| Gisborne Local

In accordance with the NZPFU Rules, Gisborne members are informed that an election will be conducted electronically for the Gisborne Vice President election.

| Dunedin Local

In accordance with the NZPFU Rules, Dunedin members are informed that Calvin Harradine has been elected unopposed to the position of Dunedin Vice President.

| Whangarei Local

In accordance with the NZPFU Rules, Whangarei Local members are informed that Paul Ballentine has been elected Whangarei Local President unopposed.

NZPFU WANT FENZ TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH THOSE WHO WANT TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE!
| Featured News

FENZ Workplace Relations Manager Michael Stevenson who leads the FENZ bargaining team contacted the mediation services but did not have the courtesy to include the NZPFU in his request for mediation. Hardly the efforts of someone who wants to achieve a positive outcome. We believe he misled the mediation service by claiming both parties had agreed to mediation.

| Auckland Local

This instruction once again highlights the disarray and crisis that Fire and Emergencies fleet is in, with no relief heavy aerial (Turntable Ladder) available to replace the Auckland City Aerial truck. 

Vale Station Officer Operational Support Matt Walker
| Auckland Local

The Auckland Local wishes to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Station Officer Matt Walker of the Auckland Operational Support who passed away after a short illness. 

FENZ ORCHESTRATED BREAKDOWN IN BARGAINING AND IS SPREADING MISINFORMATION
| Featured News

This week, FENZ abandoned the bargaining by unilaterally declaring that bargaining had run its course. Their behaviour has demonstrated that FENZ was just biding its time, only providing an offer in June which did not reflect their own claims. Why? So that they could claim they have made savings by refusing any form of backdating on any matters including wage increases.

FENZ WALKS AWAY FROM BARGAINING
| Breaking News
Breaking News

Bargaining recommenced yesterday and today with four more bargaining days previously agreed in September and October.

But this afternoon FENZ collapsed the talks and walked away.

| Dunedin Local

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

| Whanganui Local

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

| Gisborne Local

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

| Taupo Local

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

| Whangarei Local

Please post this notice on union notice boards and make all members are aware that nominations are called, and the elections are overseen by the Returning Officer as set out below.

NZPFU ISSUES STRIKE ACTION NOTICES
| Breaking News
Breaking News

The NZPFU has today issued FENZ notices of strike action that will commence from 0001 hours on the 11 August 2025.   

Members are advised not to take any action until 0001 hours on 11 August and then only to take the actions listed in the two strike notices.

| Featured News

This information ONLY APPLIES to any NZPFU member who has income protection and/or life insurance other than the NZPFU Protect policy, or is a member that is paying their own NZPFU Protect Income Protection Insurance premiums because their role is not covered by the 2021-2024 NZPFU collective employment agreement.  

99% VOTE TO REJECT FENZ’S OFFER
| Breaking News
Breaking News

NZPFU members have sent a strong message to FENZ that they will not be accepting the disgraceful offer and have overwhelmingly empowered the Union to bring on industrial action including strikes.

| Auckland Local

The NZPFU Conference in 2022 agreed to a Rule change that provided that the Auckland Local could have a committee of 20 including the three Offices of Local President, Secretary and Vice President. The recent elections of the Auckland Local President and Vice President impacted on the number of nominees for the Auckland Local Committee resulting in the Local Committee now being declared.

NZPFU MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS SCHEDULE [UPDATED]
| Featured News

The NZPFU will be holding membership meetings in July to update on bargaining and conduct any ballots the National Committee thinks necessary.

The NZPFU and FENZ are currently discussing proposals in bargaining. We meet again for bargaining on the 3rd and 4th July where we expect to continue those discussions. By the conclusion of those two days there may be an offer to discuss at the membership meetings.  We will also conduct any ballots at membership meetings that the National Committee thinks necessary.

Retirement of Senior Station Officer Sulu Devoe
| Auckland Local

After 47 years of dedicated service, Senior Station Officer Sulu Devoe has made the decision to retire. Sulu has been a strong advocate for NZPFU members’ rights and terms and conditions of employment. He would always put firefighter safety and wellbeing front and centre, never failing to raise concerns with Fire and Emergency Management, sometimes ruffling feathers in the process.

| Kawerau Local

An election for the Kawerau Local President position shall be conducted by electronic voting commencing at 0900 (9am) Monday 30 June 2025 and closes 1700 (5pm) Friday 11 July 2025.

| Auckland Local

An election for the Auckland Local Vice President position shall be conducted by electronic voting commencing at 0900 (9am) Monday 30 June 2025 and closes 1700 (5pm) Friday 11 July 2025.

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