School support staff enter union talks

NZEI national secretary Paul Goulter. Photo / NZ Herald

School support staff are attending union meetings over the next two weeks to vote on a new pay claim - including a pay increase to all support staff.

At meetings organised by union NZEI Te Riu Roa school support staff will vote on pay increases, lifting minimum rates to $15 an hour, and better recognition of their professionalism in schools.

NZEI national secretary Paul Goulter said the last pay settlement for support staff came in December 2009 and they were a long way off securing a "fair deal".

"These mainly women workers put a lot of time and professional effort into schools and children's learning. They deserve to be valued for the work they do and have the increasing demands of their jobs recognised.

"Their issues of low pay are compounded by job insecurity, cost of living and GST increases, pay and employment inequity, and the fact they got no real benefit from the tax cuts," he said.

More than 50 per cent of support staff are teacher aides, but also include librarians, office managers, administrators, ICT specialists, sports co-ordinators and therapists.

Meetings will take place at various locations nationwide over the next two weeks.

If support staff voted in favour of the pay claim it was expected they would enter into formal pay talks with the government in late March, Mr Goulter said.

- NZPA