Members of Parliament across the political spectrum have listened to NZPFU members and this afternoon have announced there will be a Select Committee inquiry into the dire state of FENZ’s fire fleet.
While NZPFU members have not had a pay increase since July 2023, with some ranks struggling at below living-wage levels, FENZ conducts an easter-egg hunt for HQ staff and Region offices.
The FENZ Board, executive leadership, Public Services Commission and the Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden have no shame in boosting the FENZ Board members' payments up 79% while many firefighters languish just above the minimum wage and well below the living wage.
FENZ has made the decision to take money out of our pay before any strike action has even occurred.
That's a deliberate choice, and it is a serious escalation of the bargaining.
FENZ is deducting wages for strikes yet to occur, which is not lawful or reasonable.
The NZPFU is calling for an independent inquiry into FENZ to examine why FENZ has failed to manage funding to ensure that it has the capacity and capability for reliable emergency response to the New Zealand public, now and in the future.
Our members serve their communities to protect and preserve life, property and the environment. NZPFU representatives are based on all career fire stations. There are also 19 Union Locals in the major metropolitan and principal centres where career firefighters are employed.
