Unions applaud post-primary vote to reject

The Council of Trade Unions said that the PPTA member vote last week to reject their pay offer gives the Government an opportunity repair a decade of neglect in public education, with strong public support for better investment in teachers and kids.

“This ‘no’ vote reflects what has been a slow-burning crisis building up in schools,” CTU Secretary Sam Huggard said.

“The Government could provide a revised offer to the PPTA that corrects a decade of underfunding and undervaluation of the teaching profession and children’s education.”

“Coming hot on the heels of primary teachers and principals rejecting their inadequate pay offer and balloting for industrial action, the Government will need to move fast to address workload and pay issues in the education sector that have been left neglected by the previous Government.”

“We desperately need more teachers across New Zealand, and we need to retain skilled educators in the profession as well. Student numbers are climbing and we only get one shot to give teens and upcoming school leavers the best preparation for adult life. Our kids, our parents and our teachers don’t want a long process for the Government to provide an adequate offer to educators.”

“We say get it right now so teachers and students finish 2018 focused on learning, without having to resort to industrial action in our schools.”