Fire and Emergency (FENZ) has criticized paid firefighters for their ongoing strike action, stating that it puts people’s safety at risk.
However, the New Zealand Professional FireFighters Union (NZPFU) has defended their stance, calling FENZ’s comments on pay offers “rubbish” and claiming that it will only strengthen their members’ determination.
The NZPFU has issued strike notices for one-hour strikes on 19 and 26 December, with FENZ reporting 22 incidents during a previous strike on 12 December.
FENZ stated that 12 of the calls were related to areas affected by the strike, with half of them being false alarms. The incidents included a small fire in Kawerau extinguished by volunteer crews and a gas leak.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler expressed disappointment over the upcoming strikes, emphasizing the importance of community safety. She praised the 11,800 volunteer firefighters for their response during strike periods.
The bargaining talks between FENZ and NZPFU have been ongoing since July last year, with facilitators recently appointed to help resolve the wage and conditions dispute.
Stiffler stated that FENZ had offered a 6.2 percent pay increase over three years, which she deemed fair and in line with public service settlements.
However, NZPFU’s national secretary Wattie Watson dismissed the offer as inadequate, highlighting the lack of pay increases for members in the past four and a half years.
Watson argued that FENZ’s concerns about public safety during strikes ignore the underlying issues of understaffing and inadequate resources within the service.
“There is a real risk to the community every day, not just during strike periods,” Watson stated. “FENZ needs to address these issues to ensure the safety of the public.”
