The Fire Service has advised the Union that all Regions now return to the status quo position regarding minimum payments for call-outs for Black Watch workers. It became apparent by the end of last week that the only Regions continuing to resist this position were Transalpine and Auckland.
Black Watch Workers – Minimum 3 Hour Payment For Call-Outs Further to yesterday’s Newsletter No. 5, there have been further discussions between the Union and Fire Service management.
Arising out of a dispute in the Southern Region and concerning on-call roster arrangements for Fire Safety Officers, Southern Region management decided that Part 4 (Black Watch workers) were not entitled to a minimum 3 hour payment for any call-outs.
A Dispute has recently arisen in the Southern Region relating to two unilateral decisions by management (at some level), to overturn longstanding and agreed arrangements.
Newsletter No. 2 - 26 January 2010 details the Union’s concerns about the Fire Service’s unacceptable delay in paying new wage rates and allowances.
The Union formally advised the Fire Service of the ratification of the Collective Agreement on 23 December 2009, and the Collective Agreement, with the necessary changes was signed by both parties on 19 January 2010.
Members may have noticed that the Fire Service had programmed the SMS to pay only normal daily overtime rates for the two watches called back on overtime on 28 December and 4 January, they being Green and Red Watch respectively.
The Union has been advised formally today of the dates the Fire Service is working to for the above payments. The dates are:
The President of the Auckland Firefighters Union, Jeff McCulloch said today "The Fire Service is engaging in scaremongering about the costs of attendance at false alarms, they are just paving the way for their plans to reduce the response to central city buildings which have fire protection systems."
Herewith is the Returning Officer’s Declaration of the Ballot.
The Executive and Committee of the Auckland Local wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
On behalf of the Executive of the Northern Branch, we wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
The Northern Branch wishes to advise members that due to ill health, Ron Kyle has resigned from the position of Northern Branch Returning Officer.
Further Notice of Strike Action has been filed to take effect from 0800 hours 19 December – 0800 hours 26 December 2009.
As instructed by the National Committee of the NZPFU, the Auckland Local advises members that we will be holding Ratification Meetings for members on Tuesday 15 December and Wednesday 16 December as follows:
Collective Agreement - Proposed Settlement
Further Notice of Strike Action has been filed to take effect from 0800 hours 12 December – 0800 hours 19 December 2009.
The Auckland Local has received information that FRM Butt has sponsored an “Operations debrief” on the fire at 1 O’Rorke Rd. Penrose on 26 November 2009.
Further Notice of Strike Action has been filed to take effect from 0800 hours 5 December – 0800 hours 12 December 2009.
Members will be aware of the various inquiries into the events at a tragic fatal fire in Rangiora on 20th September 2009. The Union has referred to this in NTM No.40.
Strike Action Further Notice of Strike Action has been filed to take effect from 0800 hours 28 November – 0800 hours 5 December 2009.
This is a reminder to operational crews not to participate in training, whether as a participant or as a trainer, regardless of receiving payment or not.
The Professional Firefighters Union is demanding answers of the Fire Service as to why only eight firemen initially turned up at yesterday’s major blaze at a Mt Wellington warehouse.
Strike Action Further Notice of Strike Action has been filed to take effect from 0800 hours 14 November – 0800 hours 21 November 2009. The Strike Notice is as detailed in Newsletter No. 35 – 24 September 2009.
The Union has been advised the following from the Fire Service Pay Office:
Herewith is the Returning Officer’s Declaration of the Ballot.
The Union has filed further Notices of Strike Action to take effect from 0800 hours 7 November 2009 – 0800 hours 14th November 2009.
The Union has filed further Notices of Strike Action to take effect from 0800 hours 31st October 2009 – 0800 hours 7th November 2009.
Members will recall the Union’s concerns regarding the appointment of a Volunteer Chief Fire Officer, Ross Ditmar, to the position of Assistant Regional Manager in Transalpine Region. This included a legal challenge to the appointment in conjunction with the Executive Officers’ Society.
As instructed by the National Committee of the NZPFU, the Auckland Local advises members that we will be holding Special Meetings for members on Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October as follows:
At a meeting of the Auckland Local Committee on Tuesday 13 October, the Committee unanimously passed the following resolution and seeks the support of all Auckland members in applying it.
Members need to be aware that a Fire Service road show is scheduled for the Regions and is due to commence Tuesday 13 October, Wednesday 14 October in Auckland and Thursday 15 October in Rotorua.
The Union has filed a Notice of Strike Action which takes effect from 0800 hours 17 October 2009 – 0800 hour 24 October 2009
The Auckland Regional Manager Brian Butt has unilaterally decided to appoint the fence-jumper Glen Menzies to the position of Acting Assistant Area Manager, Auckland City Fire Area.
Further to Newsletter No.37 the Union can report that negotiations for the renewal of the Collective Agreement have ceased. The Union National Committee met to discuss the Fire Service’s final offer. As mentioned in the Newsletter the Committee will be bringing the offer out to members at local meetings for ballot.
Further to the information as advised in Newsletter No. 36 – 30 September, the Union and Fire Service Bargaining Teams met again on Thursday 1 October 2009.
As advised in Newsletter No.35 – 24 September 2009, and as a consequence of the refusal of the Fire Service to bargain, the Union had filed an urgent application with the Employment Relations Authority seeking an order requiring the Fire Service to bargain.
As a consequence of the Fire Service cancelling the bargaining meeting of 23 September, and their refusal to negotiate, the Union has sought an urgent hearing in the Employment Relations Authority seeking a Compliance Order requiring the Fire Service to meet with the Union for the purposes of bargaining.
Late yesterday (16.30 hours) the Fire Service informed the Union that they had cancelled negotiations arranged for today.
Please find herewith a letter to the Prime Minister which is a response to the obvious misleading and incorrect information he is obviously receiving from officials – e.g. as in Mike Hall’s media release and regurgitated in the letter to the Herald from Larry Cocker.
Section 66 Appointments Members will, by now, have read the latest Notice related to strike action which specifically bans acting up into Executive Officer positions.
The Union and the Fire Service have agreed to recommence negotiations on Wednesday 23 September.
Notice of Strike Action has been lodged to commence at 0800 hours on 24 September 2009 – 0800 hours 1 October 2009. This action is identical to that as being taken at present and as detailed in Newsletter No.30 – 4 September 2009
“The protest by striking firefighters at the opening ceremony of the $4.9 millon Mt. Roskill fire station tomorrow (Friday), will go ahead”, says Jeff McCulloch, President of the Firefighters Union in Auckland.
The Northern Branch supports the Auckland Local’s position and as such, does not condone the actions of the individual who has recently accepted an appointment to the rank of Senior Station Officer under Section 66.
Opening of Mt Roskill Fire Station – Friday, 11 September
Auckland Local President of the Firefighters Union, Jeff McCulloch said today, that “firefighters would be carrying out a protest and picket at the opening ceremony on Friday 11th September, of the new $4.9 million dollar Mt. Roskill fire station”.
Members will by now be aware that the Fire Service is intending to hold the official opening of Mt. Roskill Fire Station at 1230 hours on Friday, 11 September. This is a cynical play on the deaths of 343 FDNY firefighters on this date in 2001.
Further Notice of Strike Action has been lodged to commence at 0800 hours on 17 September – 0800 hours 24 September 2009.
Note: BBQ provided. Signs provided
Members are advised that, under direction from the National Union, we will be entering into dialogue with Auckland Fire Region Management over the staffing issues at Silverdale and also the proposed staff movements for the Te Atatu Fire Station.
During the current industrial action, to enable members to receive Union notices in a timely manner, it is strongly recommended that members sign up to both text alerting and their home e-mail address so that notices can be sent directly to them.
Further Notice of Strike Action has been lodged to commence at 0800 hours on 10 September – 0800 hours 17 September 2009.
Additional pay claims for operational staff are to be processed as follows for the duration of the strike action.