Primary Teachers Negotiate On Job Security
NZEI Te Riu Roa begins negotiations today to secure job security and staff surplus provisions for its 35,000 members in
the primary school sector. The union hopes to complete negotiations ahead of the pending announcements about the fate of
the schools currently under review.
"This is an opportunity for government and NZEI to sit down and agree to processes that will minimise job losses," says
NZEI Te Riu Roa national president Colin Tarr. "It is essential that adequate change processes are put in place before
the government announces any outcomes of the current reviews to ensure continuity of quality education for the children
in the affected schools.
"NZEI acknowledges that the government has agreed to fast track these negotiations" says Colin Tarr. "Over 2,400
Teachers and Support Staff work in the schools currently under review and deserve some security in the process to match
the reassurance and support they are providing to their students and local community."
Despite the recently announced five-year moratorium on school reviews, 168 schools currently under review still face an
uncertain future. The Government is expected to announce the fate of those schools in April.
In addition to an agreement on minimising job losses, the union wants adequate compensation paid to those teachers and
support staff in schools who lose their job as a consequence of closures. Three days have been set aside for
negotiations starting on March 30.