Secondary teachers evenly split on pay proposal

Media Release

21 June 2002

Secondary teachers evenly split on pay proposal

PPTA members are evenly split on a short-term pay proposal put to them by their national executive this week.

At least 20 secondary school branches were still to send their results in this afternoon.

The proposal was for a short-term settlement of the Collective Agreement, which would include an NCEA Allowance paid at $3000 per annum for this year and next. That would have equated to around $4,500.

“However, members have made it clear, through comments on the voting forms, that $1500 for all the work involved in NCEA implementation this year is just not enough. The signals are that $3000 backdated for this year plus $3000 next year would be more acceptable – but still a long way off what some members want,” said PPTA president Jen McCutcheon.

PPTA intends to formally table a revised claim, incorporating the backdated allowance, later today.

Another sticking point is the eligibility criteria for the NCEA Allowance. “Members will not accept the wording as currently proposed. It must be more inclusive.”

She said PPTA would re-enter formal negotiations today with a clear way forward. Planned rostering home action would still be suspended in a bid to make progress in negotiations. “If the Government is of a mind to settle, we believe it can be done.”

If progress was unable to be made, members had given the Executive a strong mandate for calling on more action. “So we are hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.”

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