Education not priority for Govt, PPTA claims

Members of the PPTA's Waikato region marching last weekend. Photo / Christine Cornege

PPTA president Kate Gainsford today accused the Government of not viewing education as a priority after details of new secondary teacher strikes emerged.

"It's very obvious that education...is not the priority that business is for this government, there's a lot of rhetoric but when it comes to action and real commitments they're pretty thin on the ground," Ms Gainsford said.

She said teachers were angry with the Government, with an unprecedented 95 per cent of members voting to take industrial action after contract talks with the Ministry of Education broke down.

Eight separate strikes affecting year 9, 10 and 11 pupils were planned to start on October 14, a PPTA document sent to teachers and obtained by NZPA showed.

From next term teachers would also make themselves unavailable for meetings including parent interviews before 8.30am and after 5pm.

Teachers would also refuse to go to work on weekends and during the holidays after term four ended.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said the action would only "create uncertainty and confusion for students and parents" and urged teachers to resume negotiations.

"This will cause distress for students and parents, who are being used by the union to make a political point," she said.

"The PPTA has been very quick to walk away from bargaining, with only 13 days of negotiation so far."

Teachers needed to recognise "that the whole country is working in difficult economic circumstances," she said.

The latest round of strikes follow a one-day nationwide strike last week after pay talks between the PPTA and the ministry failed.

Teachers are seeking a 4 per cent pay rise rejecting the ministry's offer of a 1.5 per cent pay rise and a further 1 per cent next year.

Ms Gainsford said the ministry was also yet to remove "claw backs" to teacher conditions from the negotiating table.

These "claw backs" included the removal of all limits on class sizes, she said.

A better offer would be needed if teachers were to return to the bargaining table.

"We are happy to continue bargaining...but that is dependent on the Government coming to the table with a different type of approach.

"What's being presented again and again are arguments that I think show a lack of real understanding of the sector."

Teachers were aware economic conditions were tough but improvements were needed or the gap between New Zealand's education sector and overseas counterparts would widen.

The strikes meant year 9 students would not be taught on October 20, November 2, November 18 and December 2.

Year 10 students would miss school on October 27, November 11 and November 23, while year 11 students would miss October 14.

Teachers with mixed classes would continue to teach the other year levels in their class.

- NZPA