Government disappointed as teachers plan strike over pay

Public Service Minister Judith Collins says the Government is extremely disappointed after secondary school teachers revealed today they will go on strike next Wednesday.

The Government has offered a 1% pay rise in collective agreement negotiations.

The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) said it was the lowest increase in a generation and comes as teachers face big changes to education.

Speaking to media today alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford, Collins said the Government was dismayed, as the secondary teachers’ union has only been bargaining for six days.

Public Service Minister Judith Collins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

She said the teachers’ association had not genuinely engaged in the process.

“Rather than engage in further constructive bargaining, the PPTA has chosen to take this highly disruptive action. They have not come back to the table with any offer or counter-offer, they have not put the offer that was made to their members, and there has not been genuine engagement whatsoever.”

She said it was little more than a political stunt.

“This is the sort of thing that many parents will be upset about and particularly teenage children going through exams or preparing for those exams, their education has yet again been disrupted.”

Stanford said walking away from the bargaining table after six days was “deeply unfair” for parents and students.

“When you look at the PPTA’s very slick marketing campaign around these strikes, it does have an air of premeditation.”

Earlier today, PPTA president Chris Abercrombie said the decision to take strike action was “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.”

– RNZ