Christmas Greetings and Office Hours
The Executive and Committee of the Auckland Local wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
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 National President Ian Wright and the National Vice President Joseph Stanley, the National Council wishes our members a safe and cheery festive season.
NZPFU Southern Branch Secretary Jim Ryburn has been working with medical practitioners in Christchurch to develop an affordable medical assessment/screening relevant to the health risks associated with exposure to occupational hazards, including the increased risk of specific cancers.
The following information has been received from Fire and Emergency.
The NZPFU and FENZ representatives met in mediation today to discuss the NZPFU dispute contesting FENZ’s intention to preference unqualified and inexperienced personnel over professional career firefighters for proposed new positions.
There still seems to be misunderstanding around members rights when meeting with Management to discuss Return to Work Duties.
National Secretary Wattie Watson, National Vice President Joe Stanley and Northern Branch Vice President James Hall were privileged to be greeted by Australian Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt at Parliament House. Adam was a driving force behind achieving presumptive legislation for firefighters introducing the Federal Bill that was passed in 2011. A great friend of firefighters globally.
The NZPFU has fielded a series of complaints regarding the non-payment of allowances that are later found to be payable.
The 31st NZPFU Annual Conference is commencing in Invercargill today at 1pm.
Cracks in the steel support structures of the lockers have been discovered on two MAN type-3 fire trucks and FENZ is now instigating an inspection programme to check all 47 trucks.
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!