8 July 2002

Education Minister Trevor Mallard today confirmed the PPTA executive had formally rejected the latest government offer for a short-term settlement to the secondary teachers’ collective agreement and that if the PPTA was not prepared to move, the talks could reach an impasse.

It followed the membership rejection of two settlements reached by their executive.

Trevor Mallard said government negotiators and the PPTA would continue to negotiate over the next two days with mediation assistance in order to seek a way forward.

“The package rejected was fair and reasonable and included:

- A 2% increase to base salary and unit rates backdated to 11 July 2001.

- A further 1.5% increase to base salary and unit rates with effect from 10 July 2002.

- In a timetabled 25 hour week, provision of three non-contact hours in 2002/03, four non-contact hours in 2004, and in 2005 endeavour to provide five non-contact hours.

“It also included 19,000 new units of $1000 each - with considerable flexibility for schools to allocate the units to recognise additional workload associated with the implementation of NCEA. Staff undertaking the most responsibility for NCEA implementation could receive a multiple number of units.

“I understand that the concept of these units was favourably considered by the PPTA. While financial recognition of the workload associated with the introduction of the NCEA is one part of the picture, I have asked the Ministry to do further work to ease the workload pressures associated with NCEA.

“The government is not, however, in a position to increase the funding available to settle the agreement. The average salary of $52,000 is higher than many in the community understand it to be.

“I remain committed to having the collective agreement settled as soon as possible, but not at any cost,” Trevor Mallard said.

Ends

© Scoop Media