Senior firefighter Mike Swanson has been dealing with emergencies for more than 35 years and like his colleagues throughout the country, he’s been striking to highlight the plight faced by his profession.
“My sister is a nurse and when we discuss our journeys, they are so similar – under paid, understaffed, undervalued by those who should be leading us.
“She and I both agree that we have to strive to make our professions better than when we entered them. We owe that to the next generation of nurses and firefighters.”
Those shared struggles have led many firefighters to stand in solidarity at picket lines with Te Whatu Ora Health NZ nurses on strikes in July, September — now set to go out again this month.
Mike’s sister Marie Swanson is a public health nurse in Bay of Islands.
“Marie is 18 months older than me. Actually, I think I’ve been on more nurse pickets and rallies this year than I have any other type of event. I’m sure she’ll be very proud of me,” he laughed.
But jokes aside, the struggles facing firefighters are anything but funny, said Swanson who is the secretary for the Tauranga branch of New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union.
“We are both fighting for respected organisations and professions. We are both in professions that have been around for a very long time and we are guardians of our job.
“We just want to be left to do our jobs with the passion that we do have for it.”
Swanson said he became a firefighter in 1987 because he was passionate about helping others.
“We are being run down to a point where we constantly struggle to provide an effective service to the public – the public that need us.
“Our equipment and vehicles are outdated and at their end of life. We have under staffing in both our stations and our call centres. Their 111 call centres are facing critical shortages that sooner or later will cost people their lives.”
Swanson also said the fire service’s trainers and volunteer support workers were “stretched to the breaking point”.
While firefighters with the union had achieved some pay increases in the past, inflation and cost of living increases were eating that up, he said.
“We are asked to use our wages to feed the ever-hungry inflation machine, to give away our hard-earned wins from previous years, while corporate greed feeds at their trough.”
Swanson said he and hundreds of other firefighters would continue to support the nurses in their ongoing battle to improve their conditions of employment.
“Like us, their job is a calling. It’s not just a job.”
Firefighters will be striking for one hour on October 17 from 12pm to 1pm while Te Whatu Ora Health NZ nurses will strike for four hours on October 23 from 11am to 3pm.
Anyone wanting to support the striking firefighters on October 17, should follow them on social media for updates on any rallies across the country.
