Today, the Employment Relations Authority has issued a determination sending FENZ and the NZPFU to facilitated bargaining on the basis of protracted bargaining.

FENZ has refused to meet or agree to bargaining dates pending that decision, despite the process not precluding the parties continuing to meet to try and resolve the issues.

The NZPFU is taking legal advice on the decision.

The next steps is that a different Employment Relations Authority Member will call for a case management conference to make the arrangements for facilitated bargaining.  What that means, what process will be undertaken or when it will happen is yet to be realised.

In the interim the NZPFU is urging FENZ to agree to dates to continue to bargain.

The NZPFU claims that this application would only cause delays has come to fruition as the parties last met on the 18^th November and FENZ has refused to meet, or agree to dates, since.

There will now be a period in where arrangements have to be made.

We could have been bargaining last week, this week, next week – but FENZ chose not to.

NZPFU members are striking for one full hour tomorrow Friday from 12 noon.  Strike notices have also been issued for the 12^th and 19^th December 2025.

These strikes could have, and could be, averted if FENZ came back to discussions and made progress in trying to resolve the issues.

In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary