High school teachers have called off planned strikes next week

Teachers have called off strikes next week. Photo / Brett Phibbs

High school teachers are calling off next week's strike action.

It comes after a day of talks between the Minister of Education, the NZ Educational Institute, and the Post Primary Teachers Association.

PPTA spokeswoman Liz Robinson said there will be no strikes next week, but could not give further detail.

Teachers had earlier this week turned up the heat on the Government by refusing to teach Year 9 students on Tuesday, just two days before today's talks with Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

The move was the first step in a month-long series of industrial actions that would have led to teachers refusing to teach Year 10 students next Tuesday, Year 11 on June 25 and Year 12 on July 2.

A week of regional strikes was also planned in the week beginning June 17.

The selective action was unusual. PPTA Principals' Council chairman James Morris said on Tuesday it had not been taken since the 1990s, but that schools were prepared for it.

Teachers would have their pay docked for every Year 9 class that they would have taught today.

Hipkins had earlier invited the PPTA and NZEI to talks with him and Ministry of Education officials today to discuss the "many, varied and complex" issues being raised by the teachers.

"The Government is committed to taking action to address those concerns progressively over time," he said on Tuesday.

Today's discussions ended up going close to 10 hours, media outlet Newshub reported.