In Auckland alone, organisers estimated 9000 to 10,000 teachers, principals and supporters marched from Fort St to Albert Park as part of a one-day strike after collective agreement negotiations came to a standstill.
In Wellington, thousands more gathered outside Parliament to protest and hundreds turned out at picket lines in smaller centres around the country.
Striking teacher march along Wellesley St in Central Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig
Today’s strikes are the first time kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools have come together in industrial action. Together they total about 50,000 members.
The industrial action covers the collective agreements of six parts of the industry - kindergarten teachers, primary teachers, primary principals, area school teachers, area school principals and secondary school teachers.
The Ministry of Education said they had been informed that 973 schools were closed today with no supervision offered, affecting about 331,000 students.
With a successful strike under their belt, the PPTA returns to the negotiating table tomorrow with the NZEI following next week.
PPTA acting president Chris Abercrombie said he was optimistic about tomorrow’s mediation.
“I get the impression from what the Minister said today that she wants this settled.
“We want this settled. We don’t want to have to go through any more industrial action.
But, if there was no progress at the bargaining table, Abercrombie said further industrial action would be considered, be that in the form of more full-day strikes, rostering students home or meeting bans.
“It’s not something we take lightly at all and we certainly understand the seriousness of it.”
NZ Educational Institute (NZEI) primary principal representative Martyn Weatherill, who dressed as Darth Vader for the march, said there was a “fantastic turnout” at the Auckland event which showed the level of frustration in the sector.
“I’d like to think I don’t have to dress up as Darth Vader to get the Government’s attention but apparently I do,” he said.
NZEI primary principal representative Martyn Weatherill dressed as Darth Vader during the teachers' strike in central Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig
All six groups, represented by the NZEI and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA), are calling for a pay increase that keeps up with inflation and more resourcing to help pay for more teachers and teacher aides.
The Government has offered all the groups a $4000 pay rise for each teacher this year followed by about another $2000 next year.
The PPTA says that equates to an increase of 4.4 per cent this year and 2.1 per cent next year. Taking into account the time the current collective agreement has been expired and inflation, the offer came to a 10 per cent pay cut in real terms, the union said.
Secondary teachers are also calling for more guidance staff to work with the increasing number of students with mental health issues and controls on their workload.
They were offered about a third of the guidance staff required and a working group to look at their workload after the agreement was signed.
Primary teachers are also asking for reduced class sizes, more non-contact time and more sick leave.
They were offered another 15 hours of non-contact time per term by mid-2024 and more sick leave.
Kindergarten teachers want more sick leave, the removal of the pay cap for relief teachers and more non-contact time.
They were offered an extra eight hours of non-contact time for head teachers and 20 paid sabbaticals a year for head teachers.
Education Minister Jan Tinetti during her speech to striking teachers at their rally at Parliament, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Education Minister Jan Tinetti addressed protesters outside Parliament today saying she sympathised with them because, as a teacher and principal, she had been on the other side of the divide.
“I know that the last couple of years have been absolutely horrific across the country but particularly tough for you in the classrooms across this country,” she said.
”You have done an amazing job in some absolutely terrible and tough conditions.
”I know that there are areas that need sorting, I know that there are areas like learning support that are completely broken. I know that we have to do better and I commit to you that we will do better.”
‘Shouldn’t need a side hustle’
Secondary teacher Allie Hemmings was at the teachers' strike in Auckland with her partner and child. Photo / Amy Wiggins
Secondary teacher Allie Hemmings and mother of four said she “shouldn’t need a side hustle” to supplement the family income.
Speaking to the Herald at the Auckland protest, supported by her partner and one of their kids, she said she spent the school holidays working as a photographer.
”I have four kids and what I earn on the day-to-day isn’t enough to make ends meet.”
A teacher for 10 years, she is at the top of the pay scale and has no opportunity for future progress.
A third-year university student training to be a primary teacher held a placard saying, “I earned more $$ picking grapes than I will as a beginning teacher”.
She said, given teachers worked more than a 40-hour week, she would earn less teaching than she did picking grapes for minimum wage.
”We love the job but conditions could be better.”
Ashley Ryan, who has been a teacher for two years, said her students were shocked when they learned she made basically the same wage they earned in their part-time jobs.
