NZSTA Gets Its Christmas Wish

The New Zealand School Trustees Association is delighted that an agreement has been reached to settle the secondary teachers’ collective agreement.

President Chris France says the announcement of the settlement is the best Christmas wish that NZSTA could have hoped for.

Chris France says while NZSTA regrets the disruption leading up to the settlement, boards will now be pleased that an agreement has finally been reached, meaning the school year is ending on a positive note.

“I am aware that all of the parties, including the NZSTA representative in negotiations, have worked very hard over the past 10 days or so to find a way through that all parties could live with. The fact that an agreement has been reached prior to the end of the school year is brilliant.”

Chris France says NZSTA believes the settlement reflects a reasonable balance between pay and the need to address workload issues.

“Undoubtedly it will be a relief for all concerned, and particularly our secondary schools, to be able to go into 2002 with minds focused on making sure our students are receiving the best education possible. NZSTA congratulates both the Government and the PPTA for their commitment to find a way through what was rapidly looking like an impasse.”

NZSTA is pleased that the settlement preserves the flexibility for boards of trustees and secondary principals to establish policies for the provision of non contact time for secondary teachers, he says. This means schools can reflect any particular circumstances that may be relevant to them.

The package for settlement is subject to ratification by PPTA members.

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