Media Release
18 February 2002
Proposed settlement not ratified
Secondary teachers have voted not to ratify a proposed settlement of their collective agreement, PPTA president Jen
McCutcheon announced today.
Fifty-six percent of PPTA members voted against ratification of the settlement in a secret ballot at paid union meetings
held around the country over the past two weeks. Forty-three percent voted for ratification, 1 percent were informal
votes. Voter turnout was high with about 80 percent of members voting.
“Members were generally supportive of the workload relief incorporated in the settlement package. However they also saw
the miserly pay offer as inadequate recognition for what has become an increasingly complex and demanding job. They
didn’t see the proposed salary increase - 3.5 percent over two years - as an adequate enough recruitment and retention
incentive in a time of increasing teacher shortages. That 3.5 percent is less than the rate of inflation and just didn’t
cut it with our members,” Mrs McCutcheon said.
Mrs McCutcheon said it was too early to speculate on what further industrial action would be taken. PPTA’s national
executive would meet on Thursday and Friday this week to consider the next steps in the fight for a Collective Agreement
that meets the needs of secondary education.
“Our members understand that this result means more pressure and more industrial action, there is no disputing that. We
have put in place an immediate ban on day relief and will canvass our members very soon about further action, including
strike action.
Ends
For further comment, contact Jen McCutcheon on (04) 913 4227 (work)