Secondary teachers vote to strike in 2019
Secondary school teachers will strike early next year after rejecting the Government’s second pay offer.
The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) announced yesterday evening that most of its 17,000 members voted against the Ministry of Education’s offer of a 9 per cent pay rise over three years.
Last week, the PPTA and the primary teachers’ union, the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), agreed to campaign together if primary teachers and principals reject a $698 million collective contract deal.
The outcome of a vote by roughly 31,000 NZEI members is due on December 4.
PPTA members have authorised a oneday strike in term 1, 2019, regardless of the NZEI members’ decision.
While secondary teachers have not committed to combined industrial action with their primary counterparts, yesterday’s announcement means an education megastrike involving up to 48,000 teachers is more likely.
The Ministry of Education first offered annual pay rises of between 2 per cent and 3 per cent for three years – far short of the union’s bid for a 15 per cent boost over one year – before revising its offer earlier this month.
The latest offer includes a 3 per cent pay rise each year and would push the minimum salary for an untrained teacher up from $32,600 to $39,700.
It would have increased salaries for beginning university degree-trained teachers from $51,200 to $55,948 over three years. Salaries at the top of the trained teachers’ scale would have increased from $78,000 to $85,233 over the same period.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said bargaining with the PPTA was ‘‘not as advanced’’ as negotiations with the NZEI.
‘‘We welcome PPTA back to the negotiating table, which is scheduled to happen next week.’’
PPTA president Jack Boyle said the union would call off the strike if the Government ‘‘can prioritise teaching and learning, and provide the resources that are needed’’. The PPTA wanted a significantly improved offer before the start of the 2019 school year, he added.
‘‘Teachers do not take decisions like this lightly. We are passionate about our work and feel a responsibility to our students and their families. We have made this decision because the Government has given us no other options.’’