Firefighter pay offer 'on table'

The Fire Service Commission says its latest pay offer will stay on the table, despite lack of progress in talks with the professional firefighters' union yesterday, following the union's overwhelmingly rejection of the offer.

The rejection dashed hopes that New Zealand's longest-running industrial dispute would soon end, but it was hoped the talks might end the deadlock.

Commission chairwoman Dame Margaret Bazley said the offer, which expired yesterday, would remain on the table.

The commission would talk to the Government and the union to decide what to do next.

The rejected offer included a salary increase of from 6 per cent to 9.5 per cent, depending on seniority; a two-year contract; a common roster; a process bringing firefighters on different contracts into a collective agreement; and increases in work hours.

It would have extended the firefighters' roles to include fire prevention and education.

According to the Fire Service, the offer would have meant an entry-level firefighter would be on a package - including superannuation - of $37,890.

A senior firefighter would be on a package of $48,778 and a senior station officer, $54,516.

The union said the main sticking points had been that the offer did not "fairly and reasonably" address an 11-year wage freeze, the service's big productivity gains over the period, or the growing role, and skills achieved by firefighters over recent years.

Dame Margaret said the commission believed its offer was generous, but expected some movement from the union on hours of work in return for the proposed pay increases.

- NZPA