Strike won't put public at risk - Firefighters

Fires in Palmerston North will still be put out despite the city's firefighters taking part in a nationwide strike over pay conditions.

About 1600 New Zealand firefighters, including 54 from Palmerston North, have been striking since July after employment negotiations between the Fire Service and the Professional Firefighters Union fell over.

The strike involves a routine stoppage of administrative tasks, such as uploading data to the national fire service computer system.

However, callouts are still being attended and the maintenance of fire trucks has continued.

The row was triggered by the 1 per cent pay rise offered to firefighters, which was effectively reduced to zero per cent by claw-back contract conditions to things such as sick leave.

Palmerston North's Professional Firefighter's Union secretary Creagh Eising said the deal was unacceptable, especially considering the New Zealand Police had recently received a 2 per cent pay rise and a rollover of their existing conditions.

"We've ceased doing routine duties but the public wouldn't even know we are doing it," he said.

"We are still here to look after the best interests of the public."

Proactive work, such as fire education, training, and smoke alarm installation, had also been put on the backburner since the stoppage.

"It's just annoying and frustrating. We've played our part for a long time and we're just looking for a bit of goodwill."

The condition clawbacks in the "pay rise" meant firefighters would ultimately lose out, he said.

"If you can't gain anything, you at least want to maintain what you've got."

Firefighters in Auckland downed hoses yesterday to protest the opening of a $4.9 million fire station at Auckland's Mt Roskill.

Palmerston North's firefighters did not join their Auckland counterparts in a stopwork protest but Mr Eising said messages of support had been sent.

A New Zealand Fire Service spokesman, based in Wellington, said the industrial action was not in anyone's best interests and the organisation was working hard to resolve all the outstanding issues.

In an earlier press statement, New Zealand Fire Service Chief Executive Mike Hall said the options put forward in the negotiations were realistic given the current economic climate, rising unemployment and government expectations of restraint.

The collective employment negotiations, which have taken place over the past six months, are ongoing.

- © Fairfax NZ News