Show of solidarity by teacher unions

The possibility of secondary educators joining their primary school colleagues in sector-wide industrial action in the future isn’t being ruled out.

The measure, which would send a powerful message about the level of industry dissatisfaction over pay and conditions offered by the Ministry of Education, has been raised as primary educators prepare to vote on national strikes next month.

If New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa members vote yes, a week of rolling strikes will take place region-by-region – starting with Auckland on November 12.

The industrial action would finish up in Wellington on Friday, November 16, with NZEI president Lynda Stuart confirming a rally on Parliament was a strong possibility.

While primary educators continue their long-running battle with the ministry for better pay, more learning support and smaller class sizes, secondary schools are also embroiled in their own collective agreement negotiations.

Among other demands, the secondary teachers’ union, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) has asked for a 15 per cent pay rise over a year, while NZEI wants a 16 per cent ‘pay jolt’ over two years.

‘‘We are in constant conversations with PPTA, as they are with us, and I don’t rule out anything really,’’ Stuart said from the NZEI annual conference in Rotorua yesterday.

‘‘We have a lot of common issues with the PPTA.

‘‘Both of the organisations are actually struggling at the moment around contracting and retaining people in the profession.’’

New Zealand Principals’ Association president Whetu Cormick said the PPTA would be ‘‘watching very carefully’’ NZEI’s next move in their collective agreement impasse.

‘‘At the moment, [the PPTA doesn’t] have any action plans, but I’m sure during the next couple or three days at their annual conference in Wellington, there will be discussions around this.

‘‘If we wanted to crystal ball gaze, [the PPTA is] a little bit behind [the NZEI], but it may well be that there is some joint action that occurs in the future.

‘‘We all teach children. School principals are no different . . . we all do the same work, so it would seem natural that, at some stage, we would all come together but PPTA is behind us . . . NZEI is further down the track.’’

In his address at the PPTA conference yesterday, association president Jack Boyle called on members to ‘‘stay strong’’.

‘‘The reality is that when working people stand up for their rights and their profession, the holders of the purse strings get a little whakama¯ – they get anxious – and sometimes they get plain mean.

‘‘We will not stop and we must not stop.’’

‘‘I don’t rule out anything really.’’ NZEI president Lynda Stuart