Teachers' workload in union sights

Irene Cooper

Politicians demand a Rolls-Royce service from primary school teachers, but provide the resources to run a Mini, says the new president of the country's largest education union.

Hamilton primary school principal Irene Cooper launched her presidency of the New Zealand Educational Institute by criticising the workload expected of primary teachers.

"Right now we're in danger of trying to beat the record of how much you can pack into a Mini, without looking at the damage that can cause to the people involved in keeping that Mini on the road," she said.

Specific issues she wanted addressed during her term included settling the kindergarten teachers dispute and developing a more effective and fairer system of school funding.

Negotiations for a new collective agreement covering 1780 kindergarten teachers broke down at the end of last year, resulting in strikes. No date has been set for a resumption of talks.
Meanwhile, Ms Cooper said funding mechanisms needed to be altered "to give school support staff the pay and working conditions they deserve".

Some politicians and commentators were quick to attack schools and their staff and claim that the education system was in crisis, but "New Zealand has a world-class state school system", she said.

NZEI represents 45,000 members working as teachers and support staff in kindergartens and other early childhood education centres, primary and intermediate schools, and as school advisers based in colleges of education and universities.

Ms Cooper, who will take leave from her job as principal at Hillcrest Normal School for the duration of her presidency, takes over from the reins from Colin Tarr.

She began her teaching career 37 years ago, qualifying as a teacher in England, before moving to New Zealand in 1972.