Secondary teachers to strike in term one

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.

Ministry deputy secretary Ellen MacGregor-Reid says it is surprised the union is ‘‘already threatening strike action next year as they still have four days of agreed bargaining on behalf of their members ahead of them before the end of the year’’.

PPTA president Jack Boyle says the union will call off the strike if the ministry presents a better offer before the start of the 2019 school year.

‘‘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.’’

Last week, PPTA and 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 one-day strike in term one, 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 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 bachelors-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 says bargaining with PPTA is ‘‘not as advanced’’ as negotiations with NZEI.

‘‘We welcome PPTA back to the negotiating table, which is scheduled to happen next week.’’

The ministry says it is focused on settling negotiations and minimising disruption for students and their families.

‘‘Teachers do not take decisions like this lightly . . . We have made this decision because the Government has given us no other options.’’ PPTA president Jack Boyle