Recent correspondence and updates

Update on NZPFU industrial action

Deputy National Commander, Brendan Nally, sent this message to all personnel within Fire and Emergency: https://mailchi.mp/fireandemergency/deputy-nc-update-brendan-nally-13-june-1185210(external link)

Update on NZPFU industrial action

Chief Executive, Kerry Gregory, sent this message to all personnel within Fire and Emergency: https://mailchi.mp/fireandemergency/news-from-our-ce-update-on-industrial-action-1-june-2022(external link)

New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union confirms partial strike action

On 27 May the New Zealand Professional Firefighter’s Union (NZPFU) announced that it will undertake industrial action in the form of a partial strike. This industrial action will not impact on our crews responding to emergencies.

You can read more on what the strike will include in the notice of strike action(external link).

The notice advises the partial strike will commence at 00:01 on 13 June 2022 and will end on ratification of a collective agreement.

We believe our settlement offer [PDF, 746 KB] was fair and consistent with current public sector guidance.

Potential industrial action to be taken by New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union

Chief Executive, Kerry Gregory, sent this message to all personnel within Fire and Emergency: https://mailchi.mp/fireandemergency/ce-update-potential-industrial-action-by-nzpfu-26may22(external link)

Update on Collective Bargaining with NZ Professional Firefighters Union

 Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirmed their settlement offer to New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union on Friday 8 April 2022. Fire and Emergency has been in bargaining with the NZ Professional Firefighters Union since June 2021 and the settlement offer reflects the substantial work both parties have put into this process.

 The NZPFU bargaining team originally placed more than 100 claims on the table and the total cost of their claims exceeds $300m over a three-year term. Over the past several months FENZ has sought to understand the priorities for NZPFU members, and how the available funding can best be used to achieve these.

 The offer reflects significant movement from Fire and Emergency across a range of matters. We believe the offer is a fair and reasonable one based on what Firefighters currently earn compared to other relevant roles internally and externally, and other recent settlements both internally and across the public sector.

 Details of the offer include:

• A total 3.3% increase on the total current annual remuneration budget, across the whole settlement offer.

• Increases to pay rates that includes annual market based increases plus pay scale adjustments for many. These result in pay increases for individuals ranging between 1.5% - 11%, targeted towards lower paid employees, but also increasing pay progression opportunities for many.

• Backpay to 1 July 2021 including market movement and pay scale adjustments if ratified by 31 May 2022.

• Confirmation that a further remuneration review for the 2022 remuneration year will occur, through the normal remuneration review process.

• A significant number of other adjustments to financial and non-financial terms and conditions, in response to specific issues raised by NZPFU during the bargaining.

Summary of FENZ bargaining offer [PDF, 746 KB].

NZPFU Bargaining

Following pre-bargaining meetings during June, Fire and Emergency and NZPFU have continued to meet regularly to work through the claims and issues raised for discussion in bargaining by both bargaining teams. Meetings have largely utilised the online Teams platform due to the challenges posed by face to face meetings at a national level through the changing COVID levels and restrictions.