Hundreds of firefighters may boycott next week's earthquake anniversary services in Christchurch because Fire Service management will be there.
The Professional Firefighters Union says most of the 270 firefighters in Christchurch do not want to attend the services.
Because of a long-running industrial dispute, union president Steve Warner says management are preventing on-duty crews from attending and have stipulated that off-duty firefighters are not allowed to wear their uniforms.
He says that means the public will not even recognise firefighters at the services.
Mr Warner says firefighters have not had a pay rise since January 2010 and the wage offers being made after 15 months of negotiations are pitiful.
