Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Union Wants One Employment Agreement For Polytechs Despite Dissolution Of National Institute
John Gerritsen, Education Correspondent
The Tertiary Education Union (TEU) is trying to retain a single collective agreement for all polytechnics despite the dissolution of the national institute Te Pūkenga.
The union said talks would start on Friday for a multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) covering the polytechnics that left the National Institute of Skills and Technology at the start of this year and the few that remained in the organisation.
TEU bargaining team member, Steve McCabe, said the different institutes had a single collective under Te Pūkenga and the union wanted to keep that going.
"What we've initiated is a multi-employer collective agreement that will simply flow on from the existing agreement," he said.
McCabe said the union believed that all of the institutes were planning to turn up for the first day of bargaining.
He said a single agreement made sense for institutes even if they were based in different regions.
"There's a lot more to the collective agreement than simply salary. It's got everything from redundancy provisions to leave protection," he said.
"And the work that we're doing is remarkably similar, so to try and pit us against each other saying that the people in Whangarei need different terms and conditions from the people in Timaru for example doesn't really reflect the work that we do.
"We're all doing the same work, we're still doing vocational education and so we still think we should have similar terms and conditions as we do right now and as is working perfectly well right now."
McCabe said he understood the sector had previously had a multi-employer collective.
"We understand that different polytechnics may want to bargain alone, but we're saying this will only make you weaker as an institution. A MECA works for staff and employers because different institutions are not pitting staff wages against each other," he said.
RNZ
New Zealand's public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
Dry July: Thousands Set To Go Alcohol Free This July As Cancer Diagnoses Continue To Rise Across Aotearoa
New Zealand College of Midwives: Celebrating Midwives Across Aotearoa This International Day Of The Midwife
PPTA Te Wehengarua: Building The Secondary Curriculum On Broken Drafts Is A Serious Risk
Whanganui Regional Museum: Whanganui Makers Bring Textile Traditions To Life During Symposium Weekend
Palmerston North Hospital Foundation: Fundraising For Publicly-Owned Surgical Robot Hits $2 Million Milestone In Less Than Three Months
Otago Shore And Land Trust: Hīkoi O Te Taoka - Larger Than Life Hoiho Statues Go To Auction For Charity