School staff plan union meetings

Support staff at primary, intermediate and secondary schools throughout the country are about to start a fortnight of paid union meetings.

Support staff, which include teacher aides, administration staff, librarians, technicians, physiotherapists, nurses and sports co- ordinators, want a 6 per cent pay rise.

The 90-minute meetings are being held in various parts of the country between April 6 and 15. Those at the meetings will be asked to sign a petition calling for a fairer and more effective way of funding their jobs.

The principal of one secondary school, Rotorua's John Paul College, Patrick Walsh, said while the pay rise was justified, the Government needed to give schools extra operational funding to match the pay increase.

The Government only covers 75 per cent of schools' running costs, which includes paying support staff.

Schools have to make up the shortfall and are "heavily dependent" on foreign fee-paying students, donations, fundraisers and getting parents to pay fees, Mr Walsh said.

- NZPA