Proposed settlement not ratified

Media Release

18 February 2002

Proposed settlement not ratified

Secondary teachers have voted not to ratify a proposed settlement of their collective agreement, PPTA president Jen McCutcheon announced today.

Fifty-six percent of PPTA members voted against ratification of the settlement in a secret ballot at paid union meetings held around the country over the past two weeks. Forty-three percent voted for ratification, 1 percent were informal votes. Voter turnout was high with about 80 percent of members voting.

“Members were generally supportive of the workload relief incorporated in the settlement package. However they also saw the miserly pay offer as inadequate recognition for what has become an increasingly complex and demanding job. They didn’t see the proposed salary increase - 3.5 percent over two years - as an adequate enough recruitment and retention incentive in a time of increasing teacher shortages. That 3.5 percent is less than the rate of inflation and just didn’t cut it with our members,” Mrs McCutcheon said.

Mrs McCutcheon said it was too early to speculate on what further industrial action would be taken. PPTA’s national executive would meet on Thursday and Friday this week to consider the next steps in the fight for a Collective Agreement that meets the needs of secondary education.

“Our members understand that this result means more pressure and more industrial action, there is no disputing that. We have put in place an immediate ban on day relief and will canvass our members very soon about further action, including strike action.

Ends

For further comment, contact Jen McCutcheon on (04) 913 4227 (work)

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