Members will be aware by now of the Fire Service’s proposal to commence “Home Fire Safety Checks”.
The NZPFU has real concerns over many aspects of this proposal, not the least of which is that this promotion/increase in firefighters’ workload has been done without any consultation or input from operational staff or the Union.
On 23 December 2009 the Union wrote to Mike Hall with concerns over two specific topics – Sprinklered Buildings Reduced Responses and the proposed 0800 Fire Safety initiative, with the Union seeking discussions and consultation over these policies, which would have a national impact.
The Union never received a response to this correspondence.
At a subsequent meeting on 13 May 2010, the Union’s concerns were again raised, although at this point the Sprinklered Buildings policy had been autocratically implemented without consultation.
Concerns raised by the Union regarding any proposed Home Fire Safety initiatives were essentially dismissed by the Fire Service as they stated that no implementation date had been set, wouldn’t be happening anytime soon, nothing really decided, needed to undertake consultation with the Southern Comms. Centre.
The Union raised numerous other concerns including the lack of consultation and was of the belief that this would take place prior to this dream of the Public Relations arm of the Fire Service being implemented.
Sadly again this has proven not to be the case.
Given the very real lack of interest the Fire Service has in consulting with members and the Union on issues of national concern, the Union recommends to members not to commence discussions with Fire Service management at District/Regional/National level or undertake Home Fire Safety Checks until such time as there has been consultation and agreement with the Union as to how this may work.
