Area school teachers across the country will vote on whether to move to industrial action this term, including taking rolling strikes, says NZEI Te Riu Roa, New Zealand’s largest education union.

Area school teachers have only had one offer which was back in December 2022.

The vote on industrial action includes three actions: a relief teacher work ban, a ban on meetings outside of school hours, and rolling strikes from Tuesday 9 May to Thursday 11 May.

If area school teachers vote to take industrial action they will join their area school principal and primary principal colleagues who are currently undertaking a work ban. This work ban includes a pause on all Ministerial work such as implementing the Curriculum Refresh, or collecting or collating any information on behalf of the Ministry. Any move to industrial action by area school teachers would align with action undertaken by PPTA secondary and area school teachers.

The ballot runs from Thursday 27 April until 5pm, Monday 1 May.

Further negotiations with the Ministry take place at the end of next week. If an offer is received that meets the needs of area school teachers, any industrial action agreed by area school teachers can be called off.

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