The Auckland Local Committee have for some considerable time now been in discussions with the Auckland management of the Fire Service regarding the staffing of new stations at Te Atatu. More recently these discussions have included the staffing at Otara and the deployment of the new Hazmat/Command appliances. These meetings have also included the attendance of the Union Council at various times.
There were some basic agreements made during this process, although the finalization of the matter as a whole has still not been agreed. There are still many matters that the Union and the management of the Fire Service have to come to some sort of agreement on. These include but are not restricted to, whether or not the Type 4 Bronto appliance should be placed at Te Atatu and where and why Hazmat/Command vehicles should be stationed.
The Fire Service have, as Auckland members will know, advertised some positions at both Te Atatu and Otara that will mean that firefighters from both Avondale and City Stations could be severely disadvantaged.
The Auckland Local Committee have met and further discussed this matter. They have resolved and the Union’s National Committee agrees to the following two resolutions.
“No member of the Auckland Local shall apply for any vacancy at Te Atatu or Otara Stations, and any members who have already applied shall forthwith withdraw those applications.”
Furthermore, until some further discussion around the siting and use of the two Hazmat/Command vehicles takes place:
“No member of the Auckland Local shall either train or be trained in the use of the Hazmat/Command Vehicles, and no members shall use or be trained on, any equipment provided for these vehicles.”
Members are asked to comply with these instructions and thereby give the Union time to seek some agreement with the employer on these very important matters.
