NZPFU CANCELS TODAY'S STRIKE DUE TO CREWS WORKING AT FATAL FIRE IN AUCKLAND
The NZPFU has called off today’s strike as multiple crews are working at a fatal house fire in Auckland this morning.
The NZPFU has called off today’s strike as multiple crews are working at a fatal house fire in Auckland this morning.
The NZPFU National Committee met with FENZ CE Kerry Gregory, Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler and DCE People Janine Hearn on Monday, with the only outcome an agreement to explore a High Performance High Engagement model that the Maritime Union says has been effective in getting the Ports of Auckland relationship focused on engagement that centres around the health and safety of workers.
The Parliamentary Governance and Administration Select Committee will continue to hear from submitters on the state of FENZ fleet from 1pm today.
In accordance with the NZPFU Rules, due to vacant committee positions, nominations are called for Gisborne Local Committee members.
The Parliamentary Governance and Administration Select Committee Inquiry will continue this Wednesday, hearing from firefighters and other NZPFU members and submitters.
Last night a Christchurch family suffered a devastating fire where one child has reportedly perished and left other members of the whānau in serious condition.
The Parliamentary Governance and Administration Committee is conducting an inquiry into FENZ’s fleet management and related issues.
The hearings kick off tomorrow (Wednesday) with FENZ appearing.
The NZPFU FENZ collective agreement includes a payment as an incentive for employees for return to work from parental leave and to remain
employed by FENZ for at least 6 months upon their return.
In May 2023, FENZ unilaterally decided new “policy” in a memo to People Branch staff restricting the payment only to those that applied for
12 months leave and took at least three months leave. The clause does not refer to any requirement to have applied for 12 months leave, or
to have taken at least 3 months leave.
The NZPFU has six delegates attending the 2026 WIMDOI (Women in Male Dominated Occupations and Industries) Biennial Conference being held in Rotorua 12-14 May.
Nominations are called for the positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary of the three Branches – Northern Branch, Central Branch and Southern Branch.
Yesterday’s notice (below) from District Commander Mackereth once again highlights the dire state of the Fire and Emergency fleet.
There are currently NO relief aerials available in the country to replace the Parnell aerial that has suffered a steering malfunction.
The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) which represents more than 350,000 Canadian and American firefighters has sent the attached letter of solidarity and support to NZPFU members.
The remediation notices resulting from FENZ’s failure to accurately calculate leave payments over many years are now being sent out to
members.
Members are advised it is not in your interests to sign a form consenting FENZ to deduct any monies they say you owe from the
remediation payment.
NZPFU members yet to complete the Whanaungatanga Survey need to get onto it pronto!
The survey was to close today but due to various demands on FENZ personnel it has been extended to 8 May 2026.
April 28th is Workers' Memorial Day where we remember and honour workers killed, injured, or suffering with illness as a result of their work or workplaces.
The Corrections Association of New Zealand (CANZ) has expressed strong support for NZPFU members in efforts to secure a settlement that “recognises the skill, commitment and sacrifice” our members make.
Due to a casual vacancy, we are calling for nominations for the position of: HAMILTON LOCAL PRESIDENT
FENZ has started to issue new appointment letters that attempt to coerce our members to sign individual employment agreements.
The letters refer to the collective employment terms and conditions of employment on matters not covered by the letter, but the letter then
erodes the protections our members have under the collective employment agreement.
NZPFU members are into their 6th month of strikes with FENZ refusing to table an offer they said six weeks ago they were working up.
Leave remediation payments, Whanaungatanga Survey, Select Committee submissions, Petition for Full Inquiry into FENZ
It is with great sadness that we notify members of the passing of NZPFU Life Member and highly respected retired SSO Ian Richards.
The NZPFU NCOM has decided to cancel this morning's strike that was scheduled for one hour from 7.30 am today.
Many of you will have seen that Parliament is moving to hold a Select Committee inquiry into the state of Fire and Emergency’s fleet.
While this is an important development, it hasn't happened by chance.
The NZPFU National Committee has called off tomorrow’s full stoppage strike scheduled for one-hour from 7.30am tomorrow (Monday) morning.
FENZ will be directly contacting members shortly about remediation payments due to failures to properly calculate various types of leave and pay adjustments.
The NZPFU members never walk alone. We have received the below message of solidarity from the PSA Auckland and Northern Region convenors.
The NZPFU is continuing to undertake one-hour full stoppages in a bid to get FENZ to produce a new offer.
Last week, the NZPFU National Council met with FBU General Secretary Steve Wright and staff to share the struggles each union is facing and fighting. The NZPFU had reached out to the FBU as the UK firefighters have weathered more than 10 years of sustained austerity which saw the loss of thousands of firefighters' jobs, dozens of stations and substantial reduction in fire appliances.
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.