Tēnā koe,

I apologise that my first notice as the National President of the NZPFU has taken so long to come out. Since taking on our new roles as the President and Vice President, Marty and I have had to 'hit the ground running'.

We've been in prolonged and drawn out bargaining sessions, and a lot has been happening across our everyday advocacy work.

I want to do two things in this notice:

- Firstly, to take the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. I know that that means something different for the membership of the NZPFU. We, generally, work through Christmas and New Year. To Red Watch working on the night of Christmas Eve, and Blue and Brown watches on Christmas day, I hope that you stay safe and have time to eat and laugh with your crews. Your National Committee wishes you all the best for the Christmas season. My motto is always "when the Christmas tree is up, it's Christmas stand down"!

- Secondly, and more seriously. At the beginning of this year a career firefighter in the Christchurch Brigade was vexatiously and maliciously accused of misappropriation of funds by Fire and Emergency. I have represented this firefighter through a number of processes  and forums as Fire and Emergency attempted to take money owned by the firefighters that are on his watch, including claiming that any money pooled by firefighters collectively, in a private bank account, is owned by Fire and Emergency.

To try and win their losing argument, Fire and Emergency have attempted to re-interpret the mess clause of the CEA, even though it has been in operation for decades. A number of falsities have been alleged of the use of mess money for the provision of mess supplies to, NZPFU members, by Fire and Emergency managers in a further attempt to further their dishonest narrative.

I will be conducting a survey with all NZPFU Local Committee executives on the actual use of the mess funds for the purchase of all messing supplies. It is the NZPFU's position that the provision of a mess fund is for those stations and offices, who receive it have full autonomy to decide what supplies are purchased by consensus in those workplaces.

Fire and Emergency is attempting to change our terms and conditions of employment, outside of bargaining proper, because they are frustrated that we won't be bullied.

I have attached the determination made by the Employment Relations Authority on our initial lodgement.

If any Locals have any questions about what I'm asking, or about the determination itself, please contact me.

I will be in touch early in the New Year with the details of the survey.  

Ēhara tāku toa i te toa takatahi, engari he toa takitini.

Nā, 

Joe