Christchurch Polytechnic staff strike over pay

Academic staff at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) are going on strike today over what they say is a "totally unacceptable" pay offer.

Southern organiser for the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education (ASTE), Mike Dawson, said an offer of two per cent for 2005, three per cent for 2006, and one per cent for a proportion of 2007, did not keep pace with inflation.

"We don't believe that the polytechnic is not in a position to make a realistic fair wage offer," he told National Radio this morning.

Strike action would disrupt classes today and would continue until a "more reasonable" offer was made, he said.

The polytechnic said pay for its academic staff was already at the top of the scale, and given CPIT's current financial position, it was "a fair offer".

- NZPA