Dunedin firefighters are working with equipment that is some of the "oldest in the country" — just one of the reasons they took to the streets in droves to strike after union negotiations failed once again.
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.
Mosgiel career firefighters walked from their station to the Taieri Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial for their strike action.
After multiple failures to come to an agreement, NZPFU began nationwide industrial action in August.
Talks between the union and Fenz centred around health and safety concerns, ageing equipment, staffing numbers and pay.
NZPFU Dunedin secretary and Senior Firefighter Mike Taylor said yesterday their front-running appliance was a 30-year-old relief truck.
For months, firefighters were operating a 39-year-old aerial appliance as their newer 28-year-old truck was out of action.
SFF Taylor said it was an example of a "lack of resilience in the system" when forced to use a truck that old.
"[That aerial appliance] is one of the oldest in the country - it's just not tenable. We can't carry on like this.
"Common sense would say that the older the equipment, the more it's been used, the less reliable it's going to be."
"We're seeing around the country appliances of a similar age and younger are failing on their way to incidents or at incidents ... and that's dangerous, not just for the firefighters, but it's dangerous for the public."
SFF Taylor said strike action was a "last resort", and he thanked the public for their support.
"None of the firefighters here today want to be doing this."
