Secondary and Primary school teachers to strike next Thursday across New Zealand
It comes after members of two teachers’ unions voted to take industrial action to protest against the lack of progress with collective agreement negotiations ongoing since May 2022.
“Secondary teachers want ... pay rates and conditions to keep skilled and experienced teachers in the classroom, make secondary teaching a first choice career and encourage thousands of ex-teachers to return,” the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) said.
Teachers in the PPTA and New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) will hold events around the country, including rallies and volunteering, with most starting at 11am.
An NZEI email said: “We will join our area school teacher colleagues and principals, primary principals and kindergartens alongside PPTA secondary school teachers in holding joint action across Aotearoa New Zealand.
“This is a combined workforce of 50,000 people and together our voices will be loud.”
Several schools have already announced they will be closed.
In Auckland, disgruntled teachers will march from along Queen St and Fort St to Aotea Square.
In Christchurch, teachers will meet at Victoria Square and march on the local Ministry of Education office on Hereford St.
Meanwhile, in Wellington, a rally will be held at Parliament at midday.
The strike decision was made after union members “overwhelmingly” rejected Ministry of Education offers.
NZEI President Mark Potter said: “The offer did little to address the concerns we have as a sector, and did not go far enough in ensuring that teaching is a valued and attractive profession.”
The rising cost of living was an issue for teachers, Potter said, but the pay offer was only part of why union members rejected the Ministry’s offer.
Staffing numbers and school and kindergarten funding remained important concerns, he said.
“This rejection of the offers and the move to a strike ballot is just the first step,” Potter said.
“I’m sure our members will be making their voices and opinions heard from now until the general election.”
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Police are investigating after a bus driver was allegedly punched in the face and "had some teeth knocked" out in Avondale.
Police said it was alerted to the incident at about 10.17am yesterday.
"The driver received facial injuries and was transported to hospital," a spokesperson said.
"Police are making inquiries into the assault to identify those involved."
Tramways Union president Gary Froggatt said the driver was allegedly punched in the face by a passenger.
Froggatt wanted more to be done about "issues like this".
"I realise you can't have a policeman on every bus, but the drivers and the unions seem to be left out of the conversation.
"He's in hospital getting stitches put in his knee. He had his teeth knocked out," he said.
Froggatt said he got "about three or four calls like this" from drivers a month.
"I feel for the family, the drivers should be able to go to work and go home safe."
Auckland Transport said it was aware of the incident and assisting police with their investigation.
Group manager of public transport operations Rachel Cara said the bus operator was ensuring the driver has the support they need.
"We operate over 13,000 bus services every weekday and fortunately the majority of our passengers are amazing, but these isolated incidents are concerning.
"Our bus drivers work tirelessly to keep Aucklanders moving and deserve to feel safe in their place of work.
"We continue to work closely with police, other agencies and communities to improve safety on public transport."
Police urged witnesses to call 105.
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