Firefighters will walk off the job four times over a 10-day period as negotiations over working conditions and pay continue to drag.
The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union today issued four notices of one-hour stoppages from 11am to 12pm, with the first to be held on Friday, November 4.
It will be followed by stoppages on Monday, November 7; Friday, November 11; and Monday, November 14.
The NZPFU has been in bargaining with Fire and Emergency New Zealand for 16 months, but Fire and Emergency has "yet to put up a reasonable offer for settlement", the NZPFU said today in a media release.
The two parties have taken part in a mediated facilitation process with former Employment Court Judge Graeme Colgan.
Colgan’s report, which comes with recommendations for the settlement of the collective agreement negotiations, is due to be released on Friday afternoon.
The NZPFU said while it "believes there is a solid foundation of principles in the report to reach a fair and reasonable settlement", attempts to hold a meeting with Fire and Emergency before October 27 have been refused.
“FENZ needs to front up to that meeting with a proposal for settlement that embraces the principles in the Graeme Colgan report and provides for a fair and reasonable settlement that also addressed claims that were not canvassed in the report," a spokesperson for the union said.
“NZPFU members are not going to tolerate any further delay tactics or inadequate response by FENZ.
"As the first strike does not occur until after the 27th October 2022 meeting, the ball is firmly in FENZ's court to act on the report and get the deal done.”
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