Source: Radio New Zealand
Richard Tindiller
The primary teachers’ union is angry that the government is offering pay rises to teachers on individual employment agreements.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said from Wednesday, schools could offer staff on individual agreements a 2.5 percent pay rise from 20 March, with a further 2.1 percent on 28 January next year.
She said the teachers had a right to a contract.
“It is fair and reasonable that nearly a third of primary school teachers, who are not part of the NZEI, should be offered a contract so they can receive the pay increases that the government has already offered,” she said.
“This would equate to approximately $50 to $76 each week and is pay that non-union teachers could already be receiving if not impacted by the NZEI’s ongoing approach to bargaining.”
The Educational Institute Te Riu Roa rejected the same deal for teachers in the collective agreement.
RNZ understands it is unusual for an individual offer to be made before the collective is settled.
NZEI primary teacher leader Liam Rutherfod said the move was a serious breach of good faith and undermined collective bargaining.
“The government is employing divisive tactics to undermine teachers’ fight to get fair recognition of our work. Our teachers deserve a fair deal that reflects their value, not sinister manoeuvres designed to break our unity,” he said.
“The government is demanding we implement sweeping, rushed curriculum changes, yet they refuse to pay us for doing the extra work and consistently undervalue our work in supporting students through these changes. There is widespread frustration regarding the pace of curriculum changes and its impact on ākonga and their learning.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
