![\"Messages](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4LNB9EX_5df95a9a_9f4d_4d4b_b96b_509c8e48192c_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nMessages written on an Auckland fire engine protesting firefighters’ working conditions.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Rayssa Almeida\n<\/p>\n
Fire and Emergency says some of its firefighters are afflicted by angst over union signs on fire trucks, feeling their image is being tarnished.<\/p>\n
The signs – such as ones saying ‘dire emergency’ – have been emblazoned on trucks and fire stations for months.<\/p>\n
National MPs questioned what FENZ was doing about the signs – and about damaging fires during strikes – at a parliamentary select committee on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The agency said it could not do anything about the signs, and the firefighters’ union said nor should it.<\/p>\n
The industrial dispute has gone on for over a year and a half, and the two sides remained far apart, according to both FENZ and the union on Thursday.<\/p>\n
MPs had been quizzing the agency over its plans to both save $150 million – the money does not return to the government’s consolidated fund but will be reinvested or act as a buffer because levy income has become more volatile – and adapt to the likes of more wildfires and extreme storms, during the routine annual review of FENZ.<\/p>\n
‘That can’t be what a professional workforce does’<\/p>\n
\u014ctaki MP Tim Costley raised the issue of the protest signs, stating, “That can’t be what a professional workforce does can it?”<\/p>\n
FENZ chairperson Rebecca Keoghan responded: “We have asked the same thing at board level and I know the team has looked into it.”<\/p>\n
Chief executive Kerry Gregory then said he was picking up on “a lot of angst” – even from some career firefighters – but mostly volunteers.<\/p>\n
“I get a lot of feedback from our volunteers saying we need to do something about this, you know, it’s disrespectful, it’s not professional, it’s affecting our image.”<\/p>\n
He had checked legally to ensure there was nothing they could do, and confirmed the signs were covered by the notified strike action.<\/p>\n
“Effectively you haven’t done anything because you believe you can’t?” Costley asked.<\/p>\n
“Essentially,” Gregory said.<\/p>\n
The Professional Firefighters’ Union national secretary Wattie Watson said it was FENZ that had disrespected personnel in the dispute.<\/p>\n
“Putting information on the appliances so that the public can understand what we are fighting for is not disrespectful.”<\/p>\n
People regularly came up to ask firefighters to explain the signs, she told RNZ on Thursday.<\/p>\n
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\nThe large fire at a business in Pakuranga on 9 January.
\nPhoto: EAST SKATE CLUB \/ SUPPLIED\n<\/p>\n
‘There are delays and the risk of those almost daily’<\/p>\n
As for striking firefighters, National MP Melissa Lee said it was “utterly frustrating” how fire had destroyed a Pakuranga business on 9 January when firefighters a few minutes away were on a notified stopwork for an hour<\/a>.<\/p>\n It took volunteer crews half an hour to get to the Pita House shop run by Syrian brothers. One brother went to hospital from stress and heat.<\/p>\n FENZ executives and Keoghan told MPs they had asked the union multiple times if it could budge but it would not.<\/p>\n “To not be able to sit down and say when human life or property is at risk these are the conditions our firefighters can be made available I think is unacceptable,” deputy chief executive Megan Stiffler said.<\/p>\n On 9 January in an online post, FENZ accused the union of “gambling with the public’s safety”. Government ministers also criticised the union at the time, which the union rejected.<\/p>\n Stiffler told the select committee on Wednesday that senior officers who went to the fire had to stand and wait, causing stress.<\/p>\n “I spoke with the incident controller – it had a huge impact on him, seeing that family’s livelihood go.<\/p>\n “We have to find a solution where the community is safe,” she said.<\/p>\n Gregory said they should be able to reach an agreement with the union and would keep trying, adding it was pleasing the union called off another one-hour strike due during last week’s storms.<\/p>\n “We’re not seeking legislative change in there,” he said.<\/p>\n