Threats of further strikes as kindergarten talks break down

Kindergarten teachers are threatening more strike action after negotiations over their working conditions broke down again last night.

The teachers' union was back in negotiations with the Ministry of Education and kindergarten associations yesterday after a nationwide strike last Thursday. More than 1700 teachers held marches and rallies in 22 cities and towns.

But hopes of a deal were dashed as the NZEI failed to reach an agreement with the employers.

"The teachers are now being forced to consider taking further industrial action because the ministry and the kindergarten associations insist on imposing working conditions that will undermine the quality of education provided in the country's kindergartens," said NZEI president Colin Tarr.

The row is over maximum contact hours, pay for senior and head teachers, and term breaks in a new collective agreement. But it is against a backdrop of changing needs in the early childhood sector, where the Government is trying to cater for more parents looking for full-day care.

A leading figure in the early childhood sector warned yesterday that the union's stand could spell the end of the kindergarten movement.

Early Childhood Council chief executive Sue Thorne said kindergartens would be at risk of collapse if they stayed with staff who worked less than 30 hours a week and 40 weeks a year.

Kindergartens had already tumbled from a dominant position, accounting for less than 17 per cent of early childhood providers in New Zealand.

And they were failing to acknowledge societal changes, particularly by focusing on three-hour sessions and all but ignoring the rise of the working mother who needed all-day care.

"In addition, kindergartens lost their privileged funding position earlier this year and are now paid the same as other centres providing an equivalent quality service," Ms Thorne said.

"The Government's policy to introduce 20 hours' free early childhood education at all teacher-led services in 2007 will see kindergartens lose their final advantage of being perceived as the only free teacher-led service in town."

NZEI insists it is not against changes but is merely seeking security for its members' working conditions before the changes happen.

Last week's strike was only the third in the 121-year history of kindergartens and closed down virtually all of the country's 615 centres.