Key Takeaways
- The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) is going on strike to address the dire state of the fire service and to negotiate with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) for better working conditions and wages.
- The strike will result in delayed responses to fires in strike-affected areas, with volunteers covering callouts.
- The NZPFU is fighting for safe systems of work, better access to mental health programs, and fair and reasonable wages, among other claims.
- The strike is part of a larger wave of industrial action in New Zealand, including a recent "mega-strike" involving tens of thousands of public sector workers.
- Health workers, including nurses and healthcare assistants, are also striking for safe staffing, fair pay, and better conditions for patients.
Introduction to the Strike
The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) has announced that it will be going on strike in an effort to address the dire state of the fire service and to negotiate with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) for better working conditions and wages. According to NZPFU national secretary Wattie Watson, the strike is a bid to try and get FENZ and the Government to act to address the dire state of the fire service. The union has worked hard to try and find a way through to settlement, but FENZ has dropped a 260-page restructure document that culls about 160 jobs without consulting with the NZPFU or the PSA.
Reasons Behind the Strike
The NZPFU is fighting for several key claims, including safe systems of work, better access to mental health programs, efficient occupational cancer and illness processes, full reimbursement of occupational disease blood testing, fair and reasonable wages, and other "important" claims. The union believes that these claims are essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of firefighters and the community they serve. Watson stated that what the NZPFU needs is for FENZ to negotiate rather than continue to hide behind alleged government restrictions as a barrier to settlement.
Impact of the Strike
The strike will result in delayed responses to fires in strike-affected areas, with volunteers covering callouts. According to a statement, the fire service will answer 111 calls during the hour and respond to fires, but responses will be delayed. The NZPFU has emphasized that it does not see the point in putting the community at risk with this strike while the negotiation process plays out. The strike is a significant development in the ongoing industrial action in New Zealand, which has seen tens of thousands of public sector workers take part in a "mega-strike" in recent weeks.
Broader Industrial Action
The NZPFU strike is part of a larger wave of industrial action in New Zealand, which has seen workers from various sectors, including healthcare, education, and corrections, take to the streets to demand better working conditions, fair pay, and improved services. Health workers, including Allied Health staff, mental health and public health nurses, and healthcare assistants, are also striking for safe staffing, fair pay, and better conditions for patients. The Public Service Association (PSA) has stated that workers are standing up for the public health system that New Zealanders need and deserve.
Negotiations and Mediation
Since the "mega-strike" on October 23, the parties have attended mediation through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, but no settlement has been reached. The PSA has stated that Health NZ and the Government still refuse to hear concerns about the state of the health system, and that workers need to see a commitment to fill vacancies quickly and staff hospitals properly. The PSA has also stated that Health NZ’s offer would mean workers go backwards, and that the health system is currently being held together by workers’ goodwill for their patients.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the NZPFU strike is a significant development in the ongoing industrial action in New Zealand, and highlights the need for FENZ and the Government to address the dire state of the fire service and to negotiate with the union for better working conditions and wages. The strike is part of a larger wave of industrial action, which has seen workers from various sectors demand better working conditions, fair pay, and improved services. It remains to be seen how the strike will be resolved, but one thing is clear: the NZPFU and other unions will continue to fight for the rights and well-being of their members and the communities they serve.