2019's strike affected more than 55,000 students in the Bay of Plenty. Made with funding from NZ On Air. Video / Local Focus
“Significantly more” guidance counsellors and other specialist staff, pay that matches the cost of living, and more support for senior leaders in area schools are just some of the reasons behind a nationwide teacher’s strike tomorrow.
But the Ministry of Education says the offer that has been rejected so far provided “significant increases”.
Thursday’s strike has been on the cards for Bay of Plenty teachers since December, when their unions, New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA), rejected a second round of offers from the ministry.
The last collective agreement offer the PPTA received from the Government was in October.
PPTA president Melanie Webber said the offers failed to address key conditions and principals and teachers’ claims for more guidance counsellors and other specialist staff.
“There must be significantly more pastoral care staffing to work with students who are at risk of disengaging with schooling. The offer it has made is extremely disappointing and does nothing to address our valid concerns.”
NZEI Te Riu Roa members rejected a second offer from the ministry to settle their collective agreements late last month.
President Mark Potter said the cost of living was still above any potential pay offer.
“We want teaching to be seen as a valuable and valued role. That can’t happen if the job is not paid at sustainable levels.”
Area school teachers and principals have not yet received a second offer and have joined the strike to attempt to make progress with their negotiations.
PPTA Te Wehengarua negotiating team member and president of the NZ Area Schools Association, Stephen Beck, said the principals’ momentous decision to strike demonstrates the depth of concern about the future of education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“We need a collective agreement that will support senior leaders in our area schools to be able to lead learning for 5-year-olds to 18-year-olds.
“We do not believe the recent offer made to us by the Ministry of Education for the settlement of our collective agreement will address the management staffing needs in area schools.”
Ministry of Education employment relations and pay equity general manager Mark Williamson said on Friday the offer that NZEI members had rejected so far provided “significant increases”.
“For example, teachers at the top of the scale would earn $96,820 after eight years teaching.”
Williamson said primary teachers were also offered improvements to many of the conditions that NZEI has been looking to address.
“We set aside over $380 million so that pay parity can be maintained for all registered early learning teachers.”
In terms of negotiations with the PPTA, Williamson said there were still “some outstanding issues”.
