Media release

8 November 2012

Ministry stands by offer to teachers

The Ministry of Education says it has made a fair offer for settlement of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (PTCA).

“The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) is taking the offer out to its members at paid union meetings later this month,” said Deputy Secretary Student Achievement, Rowena Phair.

“We hope primary teachers will see we’ve made a fair offer in the current environment.”

“The PTCA has now been expired for three months. We would like to see a settlement before Christmas, and hope the NZEI is as committed as we are to genuine progress towards this,” Ms Phair said.

“Some of the claims made by the union are unrealistic in today’s fiscal environment. I don’t want to comment on details of the Ministry’s offer before teachers have had a chance to consider it later this month.”
Ms Phair said the Ministry has reminded the NZEI of its obligation to work with schools to make sure they could stay open for instruction during a paid union meeting in class hours.

“We’re looking forward to meeting with the NZEI advocates once they’ve been out to their members,” Ms Phair said.

ENDS