FENZ has agreed to return to bargaining and the parties will meet this afternoon and tomorrow. 

The FENZ line-up will be different with Janine Hearn taking Michael Stevenson’s place due to “personal circumstances”.

FENZ has not made any counter offer since 99% of NZPFU members rejected their 13 June 2025 offer. 

NZPFU members have not had a pay increase since July 2023.  FENZ is refusing to apply pay increases it provided to staff that are not NZPFU members in 2024. As a result, where there is more than one union covering a position the NZPFU member is being paid less.  FENZ don’t seem to think that is unfair but they think it is fair to pass on any gains the NZPFU makes in bargaining as it did after the 2022 negotiations.

The DCE’s have had a 5.1% pay increase since 2023 yet FENZ is only offering NZPFU member 2% from the date of ratification in their sinking lid offer until 1 July 2026 and then 1.5% for each of the next two years.

Members might also be interested to know that the Chief Executive’s salary for the 2024/2025 year was $518, 070.  This is well above the reported  average Crown Entity Chief Executive’s salary of $447,500.

FENZ states the Board members have been paid the same since 2019 and claim the Minister does not intend to increase their entitlements “in the foreseeable future”.  Below are the current rates paid with the expected days commitment to their responsibilities for each year.

In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary