Well a lot has happened since my last blog. Firstly, thanks to everyone who sent in their submissions on the proposals for the organisational structure and application of rank. An unprecedented level of engagement from our membership since the 90’s!
The NZPFU stands in solidarity with Unite to have the Sky City workplaces appropriately tested and decontaminated after the toxic Convention Centre fire and any workplace illnesses recognised.
An event is being hosted at Porirua Fire Station on Monday 11th November
The Tauranga Local encourages members and their partners to take up the below invite from Area Management and Fire and Emergency. We support any initiatives that help to better educate our members and their families on ways to keep themselves and the people around them happy and healthy.
A NZPFU survey of Auckland Local Members who responded to the 6th Alarm Convention Centre fire has highlighted significant staffing, resourcing and appliance issues hindered the response.
The New Zealand Professional Firefighters' Union, and members of the Auckland Local, would like to formally thank and acknowledge the hard work that was put in over the many days by Auckland Volunteer Operational Support at the recent International Convention Centre Fire.
We're going blue in the month formerly known as November to show our support for Movember. Movember stands for tackling prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.
Fire Ops 101 is again underway at NTC with Members of Parliament at NTC getting first hand experience the life of a Firefighter. In a lecture room for a safety briefing is the “before” photo.
The NZPFU has sought the assistance of the Employment Relations Authority in its dispute claiming the proposed organisational structure appointment process is in breach of the NZPFU collective agreement.
Recently there has been some confusion around entitlements for members when attending emergency incidents before or after your normal shifts.
The Local wishes to remind members that if you are certified unfit for full duties by your doctor, but are able to complete restricted duties (“Light Duties”), then you will be asked to come in and meet with the Personnel AAM and a Representative from FENZ’s Injury Management Unit. This will often be Rochelle Bull, and it is to discuss and complete a “Return to Work Plan”.
The Local wishes to advise members that a survey will shortly go out to all Auckland Firefighters and Comcen Staff asking questions centred around the recent International Convention Centre Fire.
On 17 October 2019 FENZ was issued with a Health and Safety Provisional Improvement Notice (PIN) requiring professional career Firefighters to be only responded to purple calls. The NZPFU had been informed that FENZ had agreed, endorsed and signed a new Memorandum of Understanding which enabled St John to deploy Firefighters to other calls where St John perceived the Firefighters could “add value”.
The Local wishes to thank all members for the collective effort displayed at the recent Sky City Convention Centre Fire.
"Firefighters will have to deal with this in years to come as the compounding affects of all the smoke and toxins that they're becoming exposed to in fires like this are giving them higher rates of cancer. This is no surprise to Firefighters that we get cancer more than anybody else."
About 1,000 submissions from NZPFU members were delivered to FENZ National Commander Kerry Gregory this afternoon.
The NZPFU would like to personally thank Howick Green Watch, Senior Firefighter/Vice-President Jeff Shrimpton and SFF Josh Darby for the courage to show the public of New Zealand the personal battles that career professional firefighters are currently facing.
At a recent Committee meeting the following portfolio positions were delegated:
Listed below please find contact details for members of the Auckland Local Committee and their allocated portfolios for your information and future reference.
Recently we have been advised of issues around members’ pay, travel claims and allowances.
The Union wants to hear from you with your contact details, including postal address for a courier.
Professional career Firefighters are currently responded to “purple” emergency medical response calls. Firefighters exposures to trauma cause harm even when trained and competent to assist at the incident. Being expected to respond without the requisite training and equipment puts Firefighters at unnecessary and increased risk.
Today the NZPFU notified FENZ of a dispute demonstrating FENZ’s organisational restructure proposal breaches the NZPFU agreement and FENZ’s duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Fire and Emergency Act 2017.
NZPFU has received hundreds of submissions and they keep coming in. And it’s not too late to get the remaining submissions in!
All Locals have been sent the free t-shirts for Members who have provided to the NZPFU their personal contact details (mobile and email).
Professional career firefighters put their health and lives on the line every time they respond.
Today Station Officers are receiving letters notifying them that under the restructure proposals they are “impacted” as their line management would change from reporting to Assistant Area Managers to Group Managers.
Members covered by Part 4 of the FENZ NZPFU collective agreement have overwhelming voted in support of the variation which includes a 5% salary increase.
Due to FENZ’s the two-day extension for responses to submissions, the NZPFU would appreciate all members’ submissions to be submitted to the NZPFU by COB Monday 14 October.
The NZPFU has been continuing to pursue safer hose testing practices as a result of the serious injury suffered by an Auckland firefighter earlier this year.
Yesterday we highlighted the disadvantage to professional career firefighters in the consultation process on the proposal which will allow for non-qualified, untrained and inexperienced personnel to have preference for roles that are currently professional career firefighting roles. Our notice to members detailed the significant disadvantage of rostered leave which had some professional career firefighters having as little as two day shifts and three night shifts during the consultation period to access the FENZ documentation and supplementary information and respond while still maintaining their response to the community.
The NZPFU has been seeking an extension of consultation timeframes for professional career firefighters since the consultation proposal was released.
To those members who attended the special meeting at Tauranga Fire Station on Friday 4th. Thank You.
The Hamilton Local expresses its deepest sympathies at the sudden death of former National Commander Mike Hall.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and what better way to show our support for the thousands of women each year who are diagnosed with breast cancer, than by going PINK!
The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) is saddened to advise members of the sudden and tragic death of Mike Hall, ex Chief Executive/National Commander of the New Zealand Fire Service.
A discussion group will be formed shortly that will have representatives from the Local and Management.
Members have turned out en mass to get the real story from the NZPFU National Council and Committee Representatives as well as insights from our subject matter experts on FENZ's proposed restructure.
The Tauranga Local is becoming increasingly concerned with the reliability and performance of our operational vehicle fleet. As well as following normal reporting processes we are asking members to please record in writing, instances where vehicles have failed or not been fit for purpose. If operations were adversely affected, strategies and tactics changed, public/personnel or property put at risk, service delivery impacted or excessive time lost we want to know.
The NZPFU has been holding membership meetings around the country to inform members of the attacks on your safe systems of work through the FENZ “proposals for our organisational structure and approach to rank” which was released last Wednesday. The proposal will enable FENZ to appoint non-qualified, inexperienced and untrained civilians into positions currently known as Assistant Area Managers and Area Managers/Commanders and are proposed to be named Group Managers and District Managers. Your health and safety and the response to the community is under attack when a proposal enables FENZ to have non-qualified, untrained and inexperienced personnel manage career firefighters and stations, and are able to take command at an incident.
I really feel moved to tell you all that we really appreciate the great work you are all doing to keep, not only the Public and their property safe, but yourselves and your crews safe as well.
The Local wishes to show it’s appreciation to those who were able to attend one of the meetings on Monday.
The NZPFU National Executive and Tauranga / Kawerau Locals have called an urgent general meeting with members to discuss the recent organisational structure proposals and what it means for members. This is a chance to get a better understanding of the consultation proposals that will impact our roles in the future from our NZPFU National Exec as well as getting guidance on the process to provide feedback. This meeting is open to all NZPFU members.
The NZPFU National Executive and Tauranga / Kawerau Locals have called an urgent general meeting with members to discuss the recent organisational structure proposals and what it means for members. This is a chance to get a better understanding of the consultation proposals that will impact our roles in the future from our NZPFU National Exec as well as getting guidance on the process to provide feedback. This meeting is open to all NZPFU members.
The NZPFU National Executive and the Hamilton local have called an urgent general meeting to discuss the organisational structure proposals and what it means for members.