$145m settlement agreed on by firefighters' union
Firefighters will get a 24 per cent wage increase under a significant $145 million settlement agreed by the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) yesterday.
It signals a gruelling 18 months of negotiations could be coming to a close.
The draft collective has yet to be ratified by the union members, a process expected to be completed by year’s end.
Firefighters have walked off the job twice this year amid six-monthlong industrial action as they attempted to gain guaranteed mental health and wellbeing programmes, as well as ongoing access to psychological professionals.
In this proposed settlement, NZPFU and Fenz have agreed to provide life-saving blood screening for the early detection of firefighters’ occupational cancer and other illness, plus medical-response recognition for firefighters and dispatchers.
They have also agreed to provide psychological support and a supervision programme for firefighters and dispatchers.
The NZPFU also previously stated Fenz failed to employ enough career firefighters and 111 emergency callcentre dispatchers.
They have now agreed to maintain equal representation from both Fenz and NZPFU in working parties to recommend type, numbers and locations of appliances, staffing levels and locations and boots and helmets, including trial protocols.
Also included in the draft settlement is a significant 24 per cent wage increase and a 22 per cent cumulative increase to allowances, both backdating to 2021.
As well, a $1500 sign-on bonus will be on offer on Christmas week if the settlement is ratified by then.
The NZPFU said the previous offers of wage increases were “dismal” compared to this one.
Fire and Emergency NZ chief executive Kerry Gregory said the latest proposal was only made possible due to Government funding.
“Our offer in August was at the extent of what we could afford,” Gregory said.
“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.”
Minister of Internal affairs Jan Tinetti revealed yesterday the Government would provide funding support of a $75.4 million repayable capital injection to Fenz.
The NZPFU thanked the Government for its assistance, as well as Tinetti and her staff.
Tinetti said she was pleased Fenz and the NZPFU had reached agreement on the terms of settlement for a collective employment agreement.
The NZPFU said this offer didn’t just represent pay rises and numbers, but a start to appropriately addressing safe systems of work and necessary occupational health and wellbeing support and assistance.