Schools will be open during union meetings

Schools will be open during union meetings

Parents can be reassured that their child’s school won’t be closed during next week’s Paid Union Meetings, the Ministry of Education said today.

Unions are required to work with schools to make sure schools stay open for instruction during the half-day paid union meetings next week, Group Manager Education Workforce Fiona McTavish said.

“Boards of Trustees are the employers of teachers,” said Fiona McTavish. “The Secondary Teachers Collective Agreement is clear that the PPTA has to work with employers to make sure schools stay open for instruction during Paid Union Meetings.

“This includes making union members available for teaching if necessary,” she said.

Fiona McTavish said boards could do things like run combined classes to make sure all students were getting instruction during the meetings.

“Boards do need to know, however, that they can’t close the school for instruction or ask students to go home. Supervising students isn’t enough – teaching and learning has to continue during Paid Union Meetings,” she said.

Fiona McTavish said boards should contact the New Zealand School Trustees Association if they needed more advice. “Both the Ministry and NZSTA are working hard to support boards at this time,” she said.

“If industrial action does go ahead – and we believe there is no justification for that – we’ll provide more information to boards about how to manage,” she said.

“We’ve been clear with the PPTA that the only way to reach settlement is at the bargaining table,” she said. “We respect the right of the union to consult its members, but also encourage the PPTA to not disrupt student learning during this time.”

For information on teacher employment and conditions, including recent remuneration increases, please visit
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/teacherpayandconditions

ENDS

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