Ministry urges teachers to settle

MEDIA STATEMENT

30 November 2011

Ministry urges teachers to settle

The Ministry of Education today urged the NZEI to accept its offer for settlement of the Kindergarten Teachers, Head Teachers and Senior Teachers’ Collective Agreement (KTCA).

“The negotiations are not about pay”, said Fiona McTavish, Group Manager Education Workforce.

“Kindergarten teachers have already received a 2.75% pay increase this year and a $300 lump sum, as a result of having a Unified Pay Scale with primary teachers”.

“The only issue holding us up is about teaching time in sessional kindergartens with an all-day licence”, she said.

“The Ministry wants to move the maximum teaching hours in these kindergartens from 26 to 28 hours a week. This is more in line with the hours children are actually there, and still leaves teachers with ample time for other tasks”, she said.

“It is disappointing and frustrating that this single issue, affecting only a small number of kindergartens, is holding us up”, she said.

“I strongly urge the NZEI to recommend settlement to its members”, she said.

ENDS

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