Parents plan for teachers’ strike
August 15 could be the unofficial ‘‘bring your kid to work day’’ when teachers go on strike.
Auckland mum Karen Potter is one of the many parents who will have their children tagging along. Her 8-year-old son will go to work with her on Wednesday but she said she could work part of the day from home.
There will be some younger learners at Unitectoo.
Sara Radonich plans to take her two children to lectures.
Her lecturers are allowing students to bring their primaryaged children with them. Movies and other activities will keep the children entertained. ‘‘We could have all taken a day off from university but it would only put us behind in our learning,’’ Radonich said.
They were 100 per cent behind the teachers’ strike, she said.
Mother Jessie Monoghan is also studying but she will take the day off to look after her son.
She is training to be a teacher and said she was happy to change her day and routine to support her future colleagues.
In Lower Hutt, Mary Campbell is enrolling her daughter in a full day programme run by an afterschool provider. It will cost $50 but she supports the strike.
Others, like Michelle Thompson from West Auckland, are banding together with other parents for childcare, which she said was more affordable than a programme.
Employees at Three Little Birds Childcare in Whangarei won’t have to worry – their children will be looked after by another staff member.
As soon as the strike was announced, management came up with a solution so staff didn’t lose money or apply for leave.
At Inland Revenue, 112 staff have applied for leave that includes the date of the strike, including 82 who have applied for August 15 alone. IRD does not allow employees to bring their children to work but supports any parent who wanted to take paid or unpaid leave for the strike, a spokesman said.
In a survey by teacher unions NZEI and PPTA, 83 per cent of respondents said they believed teachers needed a pay rise.
Teachers are demanding more time to teach, lead, and support students with additional needs, as well as a pay jolt.
Scores of primary and intermediate schools will close on August 15 as educators strike for the first time in 24 years.