Firefighters deserve better than ageing trucks and broken promises

OPINION: Career firefighters and emergency communications staff represented by the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union remain in partial strike action as negotiations continue with Fire and Emergency New Zealand over pay and working conditions.

The dispute has not stopped firefighters from responding to emergencies as crews continue to attend house fires, serious crashes, rescues and hazardous incidents across the country. The industrial action instead targets work most members of the public never see but which forms an important part of how the national response system functions. Incident reporting, operational messaging and statistical recording are among the processes firefighters have stopped completing during the strike.

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Image: Fire and Emergency Chief Executive Kerry Gregory. In a statement firefighters were told that taking part in partial strike action will have ten percent deducted from their base salary. (Supplied / File.)

In response, Fire and Emergency confirmed it will deduct ten percent of base salary from workers taking part in partial strike actions. A notice issued on March 9 by Chief Executive Kerry Gregory states the deductions will apply from March 23 until the industrial action ends or a collective agreement is reached. The organisation says the move is permitted under provisions of the Employment Relations Act.

The decision brings an uncomfortable contradiction at the centre of the dispute. The tasks firefighters are refusing to complete are administrative and operational processes that help hold the national emergency response system together and by docking pay for refusing to carry them out, Fire and Emergency has effectively confirmed how important that work actually is.

For firefighters involved in the dispute the argument is about far more than a pay deduction. Plenty of concerns have been raised for years about the long term health of the fire service and the resources available to the crews expected to respond when communities call for help.

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Hundreds of frontline fire engines and water tankers form the backbone of New Zealand’s emergency response capability, yet many of those appliances have been in service for decades. The firefighters expected to rely on that equipment every day deserve better than ageing trucks and a replacement plan that fails to keep pace with reality.

Image: Firefighters hold protest signs reading “Fire Crisis” and “Show Your Support, Toot” during strike action at East Coast Bays on March 13 amid the ongoing pay dispute. (Courtesy of New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union)

As vehicles age mechanical problems become more common and appliances can spend longer periods off the road while repairs are carried out. When that happens neighbouring stations are often required to cover the response area, increasing pressure on crews across the wider network.

Firefighters understand the consequences of that reality better than anyone else could. And when a fire engine breaks down more often or spends longer out of service it further reduces the resilience of the whole emergency response system that communities depend on when something goes wrong.

A troubling prolonged dispute over pay has led to crews arguing their wages do not reflect the risks, responsibilities and growing workload associated with the job. They respond to house fires, serious vehicle crashes, hazardous materials incidents and major natural disasters. The work involves long shifts and dangerous environments, so the expectation that crews will act quickly and decisively in situations where lives are at risk is important.

The dispute has therefore become a symbol of wider frustration about how the service is being supported and funded.

Fire and Emergency operates as a national organisation funded through a mixture of levies and government oversight. This means long term investment decisions affecting equipment, staffing and infrastructure ultimately sit within the broader framework set by central government. As this dispute drags on, the question remains: why has the government not stepped in?

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Image: Firefighters display “Fire Crisis” and “Fire Fighter Strike” banners during strike action in Greerton, Tauranga, as the pay dispute continues. (Courtesy of New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union)

Allowing negotiations with frontline emergency workers to drag on while pay deductions are imposed during industrial action raises serious questions about priorities and the public are not happy with the way the government is handling the situation. Firefighters are among the most trusted public servants in the country and communities rely on them during the worst moments.

The public’s praise for firefighters has never been in short supply, but praise alone does not replace ageing equipment or resolve disputes that are steadily eroding confidence in the service.

The current dispute has already exposed how much of the emergency response system depends on work that rarely attracts attention.

Firefighters will continue responding when alarms sound because that commitment to public safety is deeply embedded in the culture of the job. However, the dispute now unfolding inside the service reflects a growing belief among many firefighters that the system supporting that response is under increasing strain.

Communities across New Zealand expect fire crews to arrive quickly with the equipment and support needed to do the job, delays create troublesome situations for emergency events. The firefighters raising concerns during this dispute are arguing that expectation cannot be taken for granted without sustained leadership, proper investment and a serious commitment to maintaining the capability of the country’s backbone emergency service.

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The firefighters who protect New Zealanders deserve better than broken promises, ageing equipment and a government that seems content to watch the dispute drag on.

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