The fire service recently placed a Vacancy notice on the Intranet for “Fire Risk Management Officer, Auckland Region”. This notice indicated that there were multiple vacancies.

In recent months the Union has been in consultation with the fire service on the restructure of the Fire Safety department of the fire service. The Union along with the PSA who also represent staff in this department made several submissions to the fire service on this restructure.

Unfortunately our submissions were in the most part ignored.

There was a decision paper titled “the Proposal to Change the Focus of Current Fire Safety Positions within the New Zealand Fire Service” dated 21st November 2008, which the Union received on the 24th November 2008. This decision paper outlined the final decision of the fire service relating to the department. Fire safety Officers are now to known as Fire Risk Management Officers. The roles of new staff to this department will have a different job description to the current Fire safety officers but will in effect do the same job.

No current Fire safety Officers will be required to reapply for their positions.

The Vacancies advertised on the Intranet for Auckland Region are to fill the current vacancies in the Fire safety Department. They are not new roles but roles that have been left unfilled due to the upcoming restructure.

The conditions of employment for Union members will be those that are current under Part 4 of the Collective Employment Agreement for Fire safety Officer and Fire Safety Mgr/Senior.