Fire and Emergency NZ and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union have reached a significant milestone, following a year-and-a-half of negotiations.
The two parties have today signed terms of settlement for a new collective agreement after six months of strikes over pay and working conditions, including all NZPFU members walking off the job twice.
The NZPFU had initially planned to strike four times over 10 days during November, but withdrew from industrial action when the Government stepped in to provide financial support.
The current offer from FENZ is a "significant milestone and reflects the ongoing efforts of both parties during what has been a complex and lengthy negotiation," chief executive Kerry Gregory said.
"Our offer in August was at the extent of what we could afford. We are pleased that, with Government support, we have been able to present a revised offer that recognises the critical role firefighters play while being sustainable for Fire and Emergency."
The total cost of the offer is approximately $145 million - $100 million more compared to FENZ's July offer.
It includes:
- Wage increases up to 24% backdating to 2021
- Life-saving blood screening for the early detection of firefighters' occupational cancer and other illness
- Medical response recognition, psychological support and a supervision programme for firefighters and dispatchers
- Financial assistance for all members to access income protection and life insurance
- $1500 sign-on bonus to be paid Christmas week (if ratified)
- Recognition of the increased costs of living and working in Auckland with an additional one-off payment for Auckland members, and ongoing annual Auckland shift worker allowance to recognise the Auckland Taskforce report that demonstrated the financial disadvantages of working in the region
- Long-notice retirement benefit
Gregory said the offer is centred around an uplift to base pay that recognises the changing nature of the emergency response role and the growing role firefighters undertake in medical response.
"I want to acknowledge and thank everyone involved and impacted for their patience as we have worked through this process alongside the NZPFU.
"This has been a challenging period for all our people, and I am optimistic we can now move past this so our career firefighters can focus on what they love to do, which is serving the communities of Aotearoa."
NZPFU Southern Branch secretary Mark Leonard said he believes this will inspire people to join FENZ again.
"Having input from the Government has been fabulous and the blood testing will create basslines enabling early detection of cancers."
Leonard remarked he's "a stoked old firefighter".
The union said this proposed settlement is much more than numbers.
"It is a start to appropriately addressing safe systems of work and necessary occupational health and well-being support and assistance.
"The offer goes some way to ensure NZPFU members are respected and valued and a pathway to begin repairing the relationship between management and staff and FENZ and the NZPFU."
The NZPFU said this settlement wouldn't have been achieved without support of the Government, Minister Jan Tinetti and her staff.
A draft collective agreement will now be presented by the NZPFU to its members for ratification.
Meetings will be held from Whangārei to Invercargill from December 8 to 18. The vote will be counted on the evening of December 18.
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