Today media has covered a story featuring FENZ Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler as claiming the Employment Relations Authority has accepted the need for urgent facilitation for the NZPFU FENZ bargaining.

That is not true. There is no order for facilitation.  FENZ must withdraw that false statement immediately.

The parties are scheduled to meet for mediation solely on the issue of facilitation this Wednesday, not for mediated bargaining.  If FENZ does not withdraw its application for facilitation through that process, a hearing on their application will be heard on the 14^th November 2025.  The NZPFU is opposing facilitation.  It is only then that the Employment Relations Authority will decide whether to facilitate the bargaining.  Deputy National Commander has not been part of FENZ’s bargaining team and does not feature in their documentation filed in their application for facilitation.

FENZ DCE People Janine Hearn has written to the NZPFU stating that they are willing to continue bargaining while the facilitation application process is underway but only if the NZPFU withdraws its 31 October 2025 strike notice and does not give notice of any further strikes.  In doing so, FENZ has demonstrated there is no need for facilitation as the only reason they are not attending bargaining is because of the strike notice – not because there is no ability for the parties to resolve the negotiations together. They have contradicted Deputy National Commander Stiffler’s claims that FENZ sees the only way forward is to have a third party like the ERA in the room.

The NZPFU has responded stating because FENZ has now agreed that bargaining can continue external to facilitation they have nullified their application and should withdraw it.   

The Union has told FENZ if it withdraws its ERA application we can be back in bargaining as soon as Wednesday as we won’t need to use that date for mediation.

The NZPFU has been clear with FENZ that if they come back to bargaining, present the new offer they say they have and the NZPFU considers sufficient progress is being made, we will withdraw the strike notice.

In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary