About 100 secondary teachers braved the rain and cold in Gisborne on Wednesday morning, scoring many toots in support from motorists.
The teachers joined others around New Zealand who were on strike all day in response to the Government’s 1% pay rise offer on a collective agreement.
PPTA Te Wehengarua teachers’ union members “also overwhelmingly endorsed rostering students home – not teaching specific year levels on specific days – in the week beginning 15 September, if there is insufficient progress in negotiations," according to a PPTA press release.
“The decision to take strike action is not taken lightly, but was endorsed overwhelmingly by PPTA members in a recent ballot. We would much prefer to have received a satisfactory offer from the Government which addressed the significant challenges we are facing,” Chris Abercrombie, president of PPTA Te Wehengarua, said in a statement.
“The Government’s offer of a 1% pay increase is the lowest in a generation and comes at the same time as teachers face the biggest changes to secondary education in a generation,
“In a time of relentless and momentous change to secondary education we need to be able to attract graduates and others to the profession and keep highly skilled and experienced teachers in the classroom.”
PPTA chairman for the East Coast, Jason Devery, who teaches at Lytton High School, echoed this sentiment when the Gisborne Herald spoke with him this morning.
Gisborne teachers gathered near the roundabout at the intersection of Gladstone Rd and Stanley Rd from 8am to 9am.
“We’re looking to retain and promote teaching as a profession, and, if what they offered is going to be the final offer, it’s an embarrassment,” Devery said.
He estimated that 100 teachers from a range of Gisborne high schools had participated in the strike.
“We’re foregoing a day’s pay in protest at what the Government has put forward.”
A joint statement last week from Public Service Minister Judith Collins and Education Minister Erica Stanford outlined that they were “extremely disappointed the secondary school teachers’ union (PPTA) has chosen to walk out of classrooms after only six days of bargaining”.
They described the union’s actions as “disproportionate” and the Government’s offer as “fair and reasonable”.
“The PPTA had barely sat down at the bargaining table before taking this drastic action,” Collins said in the statement.
“Bargaining requires genuine engagement and trade-offs from all parties. Instead of providing feedback or engaging constructively, the PPTA has chosen disruption.”
“This action is unduly disruptive to student learning, especially those preparing for important assessments and exams. It also places significant pressure on parents and caregivers, who must make alternative arrangements when their children are unable to attend school,” Stanford added.
The joint statement said the Government’s offer reflected fiscal constraints and “substantial” increases teachers have received over the past three years, an average increase of 14.5%.
“The current offer includes a 3% increase over three years, in addition to annual pay progression of between 4% and 7.5%.”
The Gisborne Herald has approached Associate Education Minister and Act leader David Seymour’s office for comment.
Seymour, while speaking to Herald Now’s Ryan Bridge, said more negotiation from teachers may have been more “responsible”.
“I just think to go to a strike after a few days of negotiating may be a little bit trigger-happy.”
Seymour defended the Government’s offer and said 60% of teachers earn more than $100,000.