Secondary school teachers will strike next Wednesday following what they say is an unsatisfactory pay offer from the Government.
The Government has offered a 1% pay rise in collective agreement negotiations.
The Post Primary Teachers’ Association said it was the lowest increase in a generation and came as teachers faced big changes to education.
“The decision to take strike action is not taken lightly but was endorsed overwhelmingly by PPTA members in a recent ballot,” president Chris Abercrombie said.
“We would much prefer to have received a satisfactory offer from the Government which addressed the significant challenges we are facing.”
Abercrombie said if no progress was made, they would also roster students home and not teach certain year levels on specific days from September 15.
Higher salaries were needed to attract and retain teachers, especially amid NCEA reforms, it said.
“We are also witnessing increasing numbers of young people struggling with more complex needs such as mental health, emotional and societal issues, that are not being met.
“Yet our claim for more pastoral care time and funding was completely ignored in the Government’s offer.”
The offer also failed to address other claims like greater recognition of curriculum leaders, and the need for more subject specialist advisers, teacher-led professional learning and development funding, Abercrombie said.
“All of these are imperative for the success of the changes the government wants to make to secondary education.”
He acknowledged the industrial action would be disruptive for parents and caregivers, but asked them to stand with teachers as they seek a better deal.
The primary teachers’ union, NZEI also rejected the Government’s 1% percent pay rise last week.
From next week, they would head into mass paid union meetings with other education member groups, including principals, support staff and Ministry of Education learning support to decide on their next steps.
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche was overseeing this year’s negotiations.
The Commission has been approached for comment.
A ‘political stunt,’ Minister says
Public Service Minister Judith Collins has labelled the strike called by secondary school teachers a “political stunt”.
Speaking to media today, Collins said the Government was extremely disappointed by the move, as the secondary teachers’ union has only been bargaining for six days.
She said the teachers’ association had not genuinely engaged in the process.
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