School And Kindergarten Teachers And Principals Call Union Meetings, Urge Swift Response To Claims

Tens of thousands of primary and early childhood educators are readying themselves to take action to speed up the settlement of their collective employment agreements and to secure a commitment to fixing the under staffing that affects the quality of education our tamariki receive.

Delegates representing 48,000 NZEI Te Riu Roa members today endorsed nationwide meetings during term 4 to progress their collective employment agreements.

NZEI Te Riu Roa President Liam Rutherford said the depth of feeling at the union’s annual conference Hui-ā-Tau in Rotorua was overwhelming.

“The steep rise in the cost of living and increasing job demands on educators have taken their toll on educator wellbeing,” Mr Rutherford said. “We are expecting a swift response from government which needs to urgently improve their working conditions and hauora.”

The better-than-expected final figures from this year’s Budget, released today by Finance Minister Grant Robertson, would set the tone for next year’s spending, and Mr Rutherford said it was imperative the Government made education a focus next year.

NZEI Te Riu Roa members will receive information at the start of term 4 with details of their meetings.

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