Thousands of secondary school teachers are walking off the job today as collective agreement negotiations stall.
The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) said the Government’s offer of a 1% pay rise every year for three years is the lowest in a generation.
The Government condemned the industrial action the day it was announced on Wednesday last week.
Public Service Minister Judith Collins and Education Minister Erica Stanford said the union’s “drastic action” was disproportionate, saying that a fair and reasonable offer had been made.
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including teachers walk off the job, explosion at vet clinic caught on camera, and a diamond heist doesn’t pay off. (Source: 1News)
“The PPTA had barely sat down at the bargaining table before taking this drastic action,” Collins said.
Yesterday Collins apologised for mixing up her messaging after earlier claiming on average a high school teacher with 10 years’ experience was on an annual salary of around $140,000.
Around 19,000 teachers were expected to be striking around the country.
Speaking from outside Education Minister Erica Stanford’s office in Auckland’s Browns Bay, PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Breakfast that Stanford was the one who “held the purse strings for teachers”.
“At the end of the day, it’s about trying to get a settlement. That’s the whole point of this. We hope the government wants to get a settlement, so hopefully they can come to the party when we meet again next week,” he said.
“We could settle this today if the government comes to the table.”
The Post Primary Teachers’ Association says a 1% pay rise every year for three years is the lowest in a generation. (Source: 1News)
Other teachers on the picket line in Auckland said a lot of work goes on outside of teaching the curriculum, which is why they wanted pastoral care allowances.
“Even when you go to sleep, you’re thinking about certain things for certain kids. There’s a lot going on before you even get to school.”
Govt calls industrial action a political stunt but appears confused over its figures. (Source: 1News)
Another said engaging with whānau was an important part of the job that he loved, but they weren’t being paid for those extra parts of the role.
PPTA also warned of further strikes in September if the offer did not improve.