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Fire & Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency warns 10-hour firefighter strikes will put communities at extreme risk

Fire and Emergency warns 10-hour firefighter strikes will put communities at extreme risk

4 November 2026

NZPFU urged to return to bargaining to achieve sustainable settlement

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is warning that the decision by New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) members to undertake four 10-hour strikes will create an extreme risk to public safety. The first of these strikes is due to happen on 27 November.

The decision represents a significant escalation from the current twice-weekly, one-hour stoppages and will mean substantially reduced emergency response capability for extended periods.

National Commander Megan Stiffler says Fire and Emergency is preparing contingency arrangements to protect communities, but these cannot eliminate the risks associated with paid firefighters walking off the job for 10 hours at a time.

"These strikes could have fatal consequences. We will do everything practically possible to protect the public, but there are significant gaps in the emergency response we can provide that simply cannot be filled.

"We can use available volunteers to respond to incidents, but we cannot replicate the specialist skills, equipment and coverage normally provided by paid firefighters.

"Fire and Emergency respects the right to lawful industrial action. However, paid firefighters walking off the job for 10 hours at a time is a significant and avoidable risk to our communities.

"We are again calling on NZPFU leadership to reconsider this escalation and engage constructively with Fire and Emergency to bring this dispute to a conclusion. The Employment Relations Authority should call an urgent facilitation to get parties back around the bargaining table and use all available means to deliver an outcome, including publishing recommended terms for a settlement.

"Fire and Emergency has provided several offers that are comparable with other public sector agreements, while the NZPFU's most recent claim was for 18.5 percent increase over two years, which is unrealistic in the current environment.

"We’ve participated in independent facilitation through the Employment Relations Authority, which recently asked both parties to put forward their best offer. Fire and Emergency agreed to do so, the NZPFU did not.

"We also offered to discuss independent arbitration to bring the dispute to a conclusion, which the NZPFU declined. The NZPFU seems wholly uncommitted about coming to an agreement.

"Fire and Emergency remains committed to achieving a fair and sustainable settlement that recognises our people and allows us to continue keeping communities safe."

Fire and Emergency will provide further information on the timing, locations and operational impact of extended strikes in due course. 

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