Invercargill firefighters will keep striking twice a week until at least late October, with the Southern branch of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union not due to hear a formal pay offer from Fire and Emergency New Zealand until October 28.
Friday October 23 marked the 71st strike. Southern NZPFU interim spokesperson Brent Wilson said he did not expect members to accept the offer when it is finally presented.
Union members are being offered a 2.2% pay increase — less than the 2.4% offered to non-union members — along with what Wilson described as a clawback of cancer coverage. He called that "despicable."
Wilson disputed the claim that the union refused to put the original pay offer to its members in December, saying it was not a formal offer at the time.
The latest offer will go to all union members nationwide through a ballot. Wilson expects the result to be announced in early November, shortly after the Invercargill meeting.
In the meantime, Southern union firefighters are continuing to strike on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Wilson said public support has continued.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand's chief executive has also resigned. Fire and Emergency New Zealand Board Chair Raveen Jaduram announced the departure on behalf of the board.
"On behalf of the Board of Fire and Emergency New Zealand I wish to advise that Kerry Gregory has today advised us that he has resigned, effective immediately, from his role as Chief Executive of Fire and Emergency," Jaduram said.
"Mr Gregory says that, in the light of of the Minister of Internal Affairs' recent public statement that she did not have confidence in him, it has become untenable for him to remain in his role.
"The Board wishes to acknowledge and thank Mr Gregory for his 36 years of dedicated service, including a very lengthy period as an operational firefighter, and wishes him well for the future."
Darry Purdy remains as acting chief executive and Megan Stiffler as national commander.