Letters: Teachers should count their blessings

Striking teachers marching in Tauranga. Photo / File

I see teachers have given notice of further strike action (News, June 1).

They are a valued profession - and that is surely acknowledged in the Government's generous offer of pay increases of 3 per cent a year over the next three years - but no more important than many other professional groups which have yet to make claims based on similar under-funding and pay parity.

Teachers could bear in mind that many of these other, equally valuable, professional roles carry expectations for provision of a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service - doctors, police, ambulance officers, laboratory technicians. Round-the-clock duties are not easy.
Few professions are easy.

Reportedly, teachers are stressed. A focus on escalating pay disputes will do little to relieve that.

The cost of the current offer is $1.2 billion over four years and it has been indicated that negotiations must be within that ceiling. There are competing cries across the community. The Government cannot overnight make up for chronic under-funding of the public sector incurred under the previous regime.

Teachers should take a long, hard breather and start to count their blessings.

Who knows what creative results could be achieved if their focus was finding a solution?

(Abridged)

Helen O'Connor

Tauranga

Fathers should pay their dues

In reply to Don McMillan (Letters, June 3) I believe that Bill Capamagian is correct in stating that the fathers should be named and pay their dues for the child they have had a hand in creating.

Why should the working taxpayer who gets up each morning - rain, hail or shine - pay for the result of someone else's pleasure?

Single mothers are only in dire straits because they choose to have a baby when they have no means to support the child and expect the taxpayer to do it for them.

Contraception has never been easier and better to avoid having a child when one is not in a position to financially support another person and so that being the case the father should financially support the mother and child.

It's all about taking responsibility which seems to have gone out the window.

We are not a vengeful society but sadly we now have a section of our society who expect everything to be handed to them on a platter.

Gwyneth Jones

Greerton

Rule is to obtain payment

Re. Don McMillan's letter with regard to naming the father of a solo mum.

The rule is not to name and shame the father, but to help Work and Income in obtaining payment towards the solo mum's benefit. It takes two to tango.

David Lowe

Maungatapu

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