Tararua teachers among the 50,000 joining mega-strike nationwide

Dannevirke teachers holding banners line High St yesterday during a nationwide strike.

Tararua teachers were among 50,000 who took part in a "mega-strike" across the country yesterday.

Around 60 primary, secondary and area school teachers as well as primary principals joined the strike for pay parity and improved working conditions.

Secondary teachers have rejected three pay offers so far, while primary teachers and principals have rejected four.

The Government's latest offer is for a $698 million pay boost for primary teachers and principals over four years, and a $496m package for secondary teachers.

Teachers, principals and supporters armed with placards braved the cold, gusty winds to gather at the High St clock tower early yesterday.

They were from each of the area's primary schools, Dannevirke High School, and the town's two area schools, Totara College and Te Kura Kaupapa.

According to PPTA branch secretary Lisa Lochead and NZEI chair Jo Brown it is the first time the two unions have supported each other in taking industrial action.

The group spent half an hour lining High St and encouraging passing drivers to toot in support of their strike action.

After an official welcome Brown spoke of the pressures that face teachers and how that pressure saw her give up fulltime teaching and take on a part-time role.

"We haven't taken the decision to strike lightly, but the Government hasn't listened to us."

She said it costs $94m to train new teachers but many leave the profession within a few years because they are burned out and the conditions and pay are not good enough to attract them back.

"When a teacher is sick they feel guilty about taking time off as they know the effect it will have on other teachers who have to step in."

Brown said the strike action wasn't solely about more pay it was about better working conditions.

"Teachers are exhausted, they are functioning on automatic," she said.

"We want to make the Government listen, we want to feel valued, and we want the Government to change the fiscal policy so that we get some more money so there is some hope for the future."

Lochead echoed those sentiments saying together teachers needed to take power to create change.

"We've asked the Government, we've explained and we've taken them by the hand. We will make them stand and listen. We need change now.

"The Prime Minister knows we want to be in class with our students, she knows we don't want to take industrial action. What we want is for students to have the opportunity to learn."

She said teachers wanted increased resources for children and needed the Government to honour its promises to transform the education system to provide the platform to bring out the best in their students.

Year 12 student Clare Seatter, whose mother Megan is principal at St Joseph's, said her mother was overjoyed at the latest offer which gave teachers a whole extra half day for planning per term.

"This equates to 15 minutes a week or three minutes a day which wouldn't be enough time to write one report, let alone 29."

She said not only did teachers have to deal with big class sizes, they also had a colossal workload which saw many having to work 60 to 70 hours a week.

Clare raised the issue of a lack of funding for special needs students.

"Not only are teachers expected to teach special needs students they have to deal with behavioural extremes and clean up after them."

Following the speeches the teachers took to the streets to highlight their concerns.