Firefighters union continues strike action into holiday season

Career firefighters from all over Dunedin stopped work from noon until 1pm yesterday and took to the street to strike outside the Dunedin Central Fire Station.

New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union Dunedin secretary and Senior Firefighter Mike Taylor said the strikes would continue throughout the holiday period, with walk-offs planned for Boxing Day and January 2.

"They're going to go on holiday shortly ... in the same situation with our trucks, with our training and with the staffing levels — nothing's changed for us."

After multiple failures to come to an agreement, the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union began nationwide industrial action in August.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Megan Stiffler said Fenz had repeatedly urged the NZPFU to call off the strikes, saying they were still in negotiations.