Primary Teachers Reject Pay Offer

Primary Teachers Reject Pay Offer

Primary teachers have overwhelmingly rejected their pay offer and are sending a clear message to the government that the offer is unacceptable.

After four months of negotiation the Ministry of Education has failed to come up with a fair and reasonable offer to settle their collective agreement.

At paid union meetings held around the country more than 93% of teachers voted to reject the Ministry’s offer of $1000 lump sum in the first year and a 1.8% increase the following year. The Ministry is also continuing to pursue a claim which could undermine career development and recognition for teachers who take on extra responsibilities in schools.

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says the Ministry has now changed its offer slightly but it still doesn’t go far enough if New Zealand wants to retain a quality education workforce. New Zealand loses hundreds of trained teachers to Australia every year where starting salaries are up to $20,000 higher.

NZEI negotiations team leader Frances Guy says “offering a lump sum payment instead of a wage increase to match the increased cost of living will only widen that gap. If the government is serious about closing the wage gap it must pay teachers what they’re worth. We need a quality and valued education workforce which is not simply a training ground for the rest of the world.”

Teachers are now sending thousands of letters to the Minister of Education expressing their disappointment over the progress of their negotiations. They are also filling in timesheets and will then invoice the government for the extra hours they put in.

An OECD report this year says New Zealand teachers work harder for less pay – putting in 985 teaching hours a year – well above the OECD average of 786 hours.

Frances Guy says “ New Zealand has a world class education system which depends on the quality and commitment of its teachers. We need to make teaching as attractive as possible so our teachers feel valued and have their skills recognised.”

NZEI will continue to try and negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement otherwise teachers will vote on industrial action, including strike action, early next year.
ends

© Scoop Media