New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) says paid firefighters would go on strike for one hour between noon and 1pm on October 17.
"Strike action of this nature by our paid firefighters will place an extra burden on our volunteer firefighters," Fenz said today.
"Community safety is of the utmost priority to Fire and Emergency, and we want to reassure the public that we will do our best to maintain services during this period of industrial action."
The parties are scheduled to meet for bargaining on October 9 and 10.
Fenz said its goal has "always been to settle with the NZPFU".
It comes after the organisation made an offer in June (5.1% over three years), which was declined.
However, Fenz said it considered this offer to be sustainable.
"...balances cost of living pressures being faced by individuals, alongside fiscal pressures faced by Fire and Emergency and is consistent with the Government Workforce Policy Statement."
It is yet to make another offer.
Fed up, says union
But the union says members have not had a pay increase since July 2023.
"NZPFU members are fed up with the lack of progress and hope that the strike notice will motivate FENZ to come to the table next week with a revised position that deals with all outstanding issues including wages.
"The state of the fire appliances is dire and failing, leaving firefighters stranded on the way to calls, at station or even at the incident without water while internal firefighting.
"The lack of staff, working excessive overtime, the dire state of appliances are all factors in the level and intensity of mental health issues for our members."
The union said Fenz continued to fail firefighters with occupational cancer and had "been criticised in ACC reviews for not applying the law".
National secretary Joanne Watson said striking was a last resort.
"It's one of the hardest things that our members undertake. It's for an hour and that's hard enough for them because the community needs them.
"Firefighters in New Zealand undertake 98 percent of all out of hospital cardiac arrests, and so we understand the pressure on the community and the concerns if they're away for an hour - but there's very little else in the toolbox for workers to put pressure on the employer to come back with a reasonable offer."
The represented almost every career firefighter in New Zealand, she said.
"The firefighters will be out, the dispatchers for fire in the 111 emergency dispatch centres across the country, ... volunteer support officers, trainers, ... people who work in risk reduction, safety, health and well-being - all sorts of roles - they will all be out," she said.
