Ministry calls for accuracy

New Zealanders are getting inaccurate, misleading messages about this year’s secondary teachers bargaining, the Ministry of Education said today.

“The Ministry has made a very good offer to the PPTA,” said Education Workforce Group Manager Fiona McTavish.

“In addition to salary increases of 1.5% plus 1%, our offer provides for more sabbaticals, allowances, non-contact hours, and relief teacher days,” she said.

“I encourage people to look at our actual offer. They’ll see that statements made by PPTA members about non-contact hours, class size, or the number of days teachers are required to be available during term breaks, are simply incorrect,” she said.

Fiona McTavish said the Ministry’s offer had to be seen in the context of the current economic environment, other recent state sector settlements, and recent generous salary increases for teachers.

“Many of the PPTA’s 46 bargaining claims are already being addressed,” she said.

“The Government values secondary teachers. We have successful initiatives underway to address issues concerning health and safety, recruitment and retention, and teaching and learning conditions for teachers and students.”

Fiona McTavish said the PPTA was continuing to refuse to prioritise any of the 46 claims it had put on the table.

“Bargaining is a two-way street. It’s not about one party just saying yes to everything,” she said. “The PPTA needs to prioritise its claims, be prepared to bargain constructively, call off its unnecessary and disruptive industrial action, and then come back to the table.”

For the Ministry’s offer, and information sheets on teacher pay and conditions, go to http://www.minedu.govt.nz/teacherpayandconditions

Information for journalists

Class size
Teacher entitlement funding to secondary schools provides an average teacher student ratio of 1 teacher for every 17.2 students. The Ministry’s offer includes no proposed changes to the current requirement for secondary schools to endeavour to keep class sizes to no more than 26 students. Schools arrange their timetables and class sizes in consultation with teachers.

Non-contact time
Secondary teachers are required to be available for 25 hours timetabled teaching time a week. A minimum of five of these hours are non-contact time (beginning teachers and unit holders will get more non-contact time). The Ministry’s offer maintains this and offers additional non-contact time for part-time teachers.

Term breaks
Secondary teachers get 12 weeks’ term breaks a year. During these term breaks they may be required to be available for up to 10 days for administrative or professional development activities. The Ministry’s offer doesn’t seek to increase the total of 10 days.

Health and safety
Acc information shows that 100 secondary teachers made ACC claims in 2008/09. Most of these were for accidental injury such as insect bites and falls. Only three teachers needed time off work. The information sheet is available at http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/ResearchAndStatistics/HealthAndSafetyInSchools/InjuriesToTeachers.aspx

ENDS

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