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Collective Agreement Negotiations

Breakdown

The Union has filed Notice of Strike Action today.

The nature of the strike is a ban on the use of any computer keyboard or computer mouse by any Union member employed in the South Island of New Zealand other than Union members employed at the Southern Communications Centre.

The strike will commence at 0800 hours on 16 July 2009 and will conclude at 0800 hours on 23 July 2009.

The strike will be continuous.

The strike will occur at all Fire Stations, Regional Offices and Training Centres in the South Island of New Zealand (but excluding the Southern Communications Centre).

Local officials will discuss all matters relating to the strike action with National Committee members before strike action commences.

The intention is that a similar Notice of Strike Action will be issued for the week commencing 23 July 2009 for all members in the North Island.

Please direct any queries to members of the Union Committee.

Collective Agreement

The offer, as approved by the Fire Service Commission, has been fully considered by the Union Committee. Full details of the offer, including the specific proposed wording are available for download.

The Union Committee has unanimously resolved to reject the offer.

Most items in the offer are self-explanatory. However, some clarification follows:

1. Point (e) Sick Leave
   The three principal changes are:

• Changing Sick Leave entitlements from Consecutive Days (28 per year) to Working Days (12 per year – rising to 14 per year after 14 year’s service).

• Absence for a part-day to be deducted on a pro rata rate basis.

• Accumulation of Sick Leave to 180 days.

Clearly this is potentially a significant reduction in Sick Leave entitlement.

2. Allowances/Payments Removed
   
   Point (g)-Shift Allowance for Overtime
   Point (i)-Payment of Bank Fees/Cheques

3. Point (j)-Incorporation of SM.S. Principles into Part 2 of the Collective Agreement with significant removals from that presently included e.g. Consultation and Partnership.

4. Point (k)-Removal of Trainees from coverage of the Collective Agreement
   This has the effect of removing the ability of the Union to negotiate wages and conditions of employment for Trainees and would create significant difficulties in representing Trainees either individually or collectively in any Dispute that may arise.

For the Fire Service to propose that they should have a completely free hand to impose wages (if any?) and whatever conditions on the Union’s most vulnerable members is completely unacceptable.

As a consequence of the rejection of the offer, the Committee is finalizing details of Industrial Action. The Action to be initially implemented will allow an escalation of the impact of the Action if that is necessary.

Details, including the commencement date of the intended Action, will be advised to members early next week.

Please contact Committee members if any further clarification is required.

• Download full details of the NZFS offer

Response - Sprinklered Buildings

The Union is strongly opposed to the intention to significantly reduce the PDA to Sprinklered Buildings to, in almost all cases, two pumps.

This is a very poorly thought out and foolhardy move and is being made for little apparent and justifiable reasons. It is outstandingly negligent that resources provided by the community are required to remain idle when there is an inevitability that they will be critically required at a Sprinklered Building incident.

The Health and Safety of firefighters and the public are being unnecessarily put at risk and operational efficiency significantly impaired.

In those areas affected, Locals will be asked to write to building owners where reduced turnout is applied to advise them of the effect of such a reduction.

The Union will be pursuing this with the Fire Service.

The Union is aware that members have been directed to carry out a re-assessment of Sprinklered Buildings using the new criteria which is designed to reduce turnouts.

Members are advised not to undertake this work.

For Business Plans to be amended to include this new work, there must be extensive consultation with affected members.  Management cannot unilaterally alter Business Plans objectives, reports, or impose targets.

As well, this reduced turnout position arises out of NRAM work.  NRAM is a means to facilitate and agree on the development of a National Resource Allocation Model.

This reduction in turnouts has never been consulted on let alone agreed.

Both procedures for amending Business Plans and the need to agree NRAM outcomes are contained in the Collective Agreement.

Returning Officer's Notice to Members

Triennial Elections

Union Council

Further to the Returning Officer’s NTM of 4 June 2009. And further to yesterday’s (9 June 2009) Returning Officer’s NTM -

Following the withdrawal of Boyd Raines’ nomination for the position of President, and Athol Conway’s nomination for the position of Vice President, the revised list of Nominees is:

PRESIDENT:

CONWAY, ATHOL
WARNER, STEPHEN

VICE PRESIDENT:

FITZMAURICE, DENIS
HALLETT, PETER
RAINES, BOYD
SINGLE, BRENT

SECRETARY:

BEST, DEREK

Ian Wright
Acting National Returning Officer.