Part time teachers take a case for equality

Today PPTA and four courageous PPTA members will lodge a legal case with the Employment Relations Authority and seek mediation to resolve the long-standing issue of part-time secondary teachers not receiving the same rate of non-contact time as full time teachers.

PPTA president Jack Boyle says, “We have been trying to resolve this injustice for over 16 years.”

“We have developed and offered a myriad of solutions, with different models and flexible options. We have tried righting the discrimination through six rounds of collective bargaining of the Secondary Teachers Collective Agreement. There has been a long term workstream with the education ministry, facilitation with the department of labour and a four year pay and employment equity review – and still no justice.”

“There can be no doubt this inequity is deliberate. We’re tired of waiting for the government to get a conscience; this time we’re taking it to the courts.”

“The case is simple. Every teacher should earn equal pay for equal work. We believe we have a very strong case and that we’ll win.”

ENDS