Boards Happy To Help Schools To Speed ADR

Boards Happy To Help Schools To Speed ADR Ratification – NZSTA

The New Zealand School Trustees Association is urging the PPTA to move quickly to have the alternative dispute resolution option in front of its members in the next 24-36 hours.

President Chris France says he is certain that boards of trustees and their schools would do anything they can to assist the PPTA branches achieve a quick turnaround regarding the ADR option as a means to resolve the teacher pay dispute.

He says NZSTA does not want the ADR issue to impact on students’ education, and is convinced that boards and schools would be happy to facilitate meetings to assist PPTA branches to achieve a quick resolution.

“We must not allow any lack of effort by ourselves or the PPTA to slow down ADR ratification.”

He says acceptance of the process by secondary school teachers would allow a short-term solution to the negotiations and at the same time provide the opportunity to fully air the outstanding issues such as workload and pay.

Chris France says the only way the alternative dispute resolution will work is if both the Government and secondary teachers commit to it. This also includes halting industrial action.

“This situation has already been dragging on and it will not be resolved while we have NCEA bans already operating and the imminent threat of teacher strikes hanging over the students’ heads. The adoption of this alternative is one of the few remaining positive options left and it is vital that it is made clear that boards do not want to see this very real option jeopardised in any way.”

He says boards would be very concerned if the PPTA did not move quickly to have the ADR option in front of its members in the next 24-36 hours.

“Boards have had enough of the disruption to our children’s learning, and it would be a travesty for the PPTA to pursue industrial action while unduly drawing out the ADR ratification process, when it could be possible to have an answer within the next couple of days, thus avoiding further escalation of industrial action.”

Chris France says boards are extremely disappointed at what appears to be delaying tactics by PPTA, and NZSTA is currently investigating the status of the “initiation of bargaining” by the MoE, and it is possible that the present industrial action is unlawful. We are seeking legal opinion on this and our legal options.

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