The fire service says there will be delays in responding to emergencies on Friday when firefighters strike, particularly in our biggest cities.
FENZ Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally told 1News he's "extremely disappointed" it's come to this.
"There will be delays and we have significantly fewer firefighters because the union has directed their members to withdraw their labour," Nally said.
Expect delays in the response to emergencies between 11am and Friday is the warning from Fire and Emergency. (Source: 1News)
Firefighters will walk off the job on Friday between 11am and 12pm and won't respond to any emergencies during this time. Another hour long strike in planned for next Friday.
Nally said the public should be vigilant during the strike.
"I am deeply concerned for the risk to the public," he said.
Volunteer firefighters will be responding as usual and executive officers will respond to emergencies too. Any delays are likely to be in metropolitan areas where there aren't volunteer brigades close by.
It's the first time in history that all professional firefighters around the country are walking off the job at the same time.
Fire and Emergency and the union which represents professional firefighters have been locked in negotiations for more than a year. Even an independent mediator couldn't help the two reach an agreement.
While there's still time for the two parties to negotiate, it appears the strike will go ahead as planned.
"It's been a very difficult negotiation, extremely difficult. The parties started off a long way way apart and are still quite some way apart," Nally said.
FENZ says they've offered firefighters a pay rise of between 8 and 19% over two years. But the union says it's not enough as wages have been low for many years.
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union secretary Wattie Watson says FENZ is missing the point and it's about more than money.
"If it was just about pay, the firefighters wouldn't be walking off. They wouldn't. This is about the systemic issues in FENZ and they can't keep going like this," said Watson.
She says ongoing issues like staffing levels, unreliable fire appliances and lack of support for medical callouts are among the issues that need to be addressed.
Wellington Central Station officer Michael Fleming says the strike on Friday is a last resort.
"We feel like we have no choice," he said.
Fleming said low staffing numbers on Monday meant his crew was down one member, which puts him in a difficult position.
"I have to consider the safety of the crew going in. And when you're short staffed I have to withhold my actions, waiting for another truck to come from further away to assist us".
When Fleming started firefighters rarely attended medical calls.
"We are there to help, we'll willingly go and do it. What we're looking for is just some recognition really that we are now doing a different role."
Another hour-long strike is planned for next Friday and the union says more industrial action will follow if they can't come to an agreement with FENZ.
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