Whanganui secondary school teachers gathered at Majestic Square as part of a nationwide strike due to stalled collective agreement negotiations. Photo / Olivia Reid
Whanganui secondary school teachers gathered at Majestic Square as part of a nationwide strike due to stalled collective agreement negotiations. Photo / Olivia Reid
Whanganui secondary teachers and supporters turned out for Wednesday’s nationwide teachers’ strike for better pay and support.
More than 50 people, among nearly 20,000 secondary school teachers nationally, gathered in Majestic Square in response to the Government’s offer for settlement of their collective agreement negotiations.
The Government offered a 1%pay rise each year for three years in collective agreement negotiations, which the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) said was the lowest increase in a generation.
The decision to strike was made after six days of bargaining.
The protest began outside the Ministry of Education office on Ingestre St before moving down Victoria Ave to Majestic Square.
Placards carried by the teachers read “This Government = Not Achieved”, and “I’m not walking out on my students. I’m walking for them”.
Tanya Sherborne, PPTA’s Manawatū-Whanganui-Horowhenua chairperson, said the Government’s offer did not reflect the current state of the economy, the increasing workload or the incoming curriculum changes.
“We are striking because the offer from the Government doesn’t meet the growing needs of our students; all it’s addressed is the 1% which doesn’t even cover inflation- this year’s inflation is 2.7%,” she said.
“It also doesn’t account for extra pastoral needs, it doesn’t account for the special learning needs that more students are coming in with, it doesn’t address the teachers shortage, the teachers aid shortage, it doesn’t address the growing workload of teachers.”
The decision to strike was made after six days of bargaining. Photo / Olivia Reid
Sherborne said the changes were adding to the difficult circumstances teachers were facing.
“We are required to roll out a new learning programme next year, which they’re replacing NCEA with, but we haven’t been given any resourcing for that- in fact, they haven’t even written it yet,” she said.
“All of this is making it really difficult for us to keep and attract teachers, and the offer that the Government gave us doesn’t address any of that.”
Moore said the professions were supporting each other nationwide “so it’s a big combined effort”.
The PPTA says changes to the education system are adding to the difficult circumstances teachers are facing. Photo / Olivia Reid
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche said the 1% increase for three years was a “fair offer”.
“The offer the union has rejected represented a 3% increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of between 4.5% and 7.5%,” he said.
“For many secondary teachers, this equates to pay increases between $2500 and $7000 a year, with regular annual progression included. Over three years, it means increases of $1850 to $3123 for most teachers, in addition to $10,000 to $17,000 with annual pay progression.”
“Everyone wants better outcomes for teachers, but we also have to live within our means – we don’t have a bottomless pot of taxpayers’ money. I urge the union to put children’s learning first and return to the table in good faith.”
Whanganui MP Carl Bates also recommended the PPTA continue with negotiations.
“I would really urge the PPTA to return to the bargaining table with a commitment to constructive and engaged dialogue and a realistic settlement, one that supports teachers, students and the integrity of our public education system,” he said.
“I think the bargaining had only just begun when the PPTA decided to go on strike and I don’t think that’s constructive.
“I really value the work that the teachers in Whanganui do. They play a vital role in the classroom for our students, particularly during this time when many of our secondary school students are preparing for exams, and preparing for their end-of-year activities.”
Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
