PPTA surveys members on G3 action

PPTA surveys members on G3 action

PPTA is balloting teachers to determine what action they are prepared to take to support the nearly 2000 degree equivalent teachers in secondary schools whose pay status is still to be resolved.

The survey asks members whether they would support actions such as a day relief ban, extracurricular ban, out-of-hours meetings ban, a duty ban, a one day national strike, and rostering home of teachers.

PPTA president Jen McCutcheon said the results would be considered by the PPTA executive when it meets next week to consider the action plan for degree equivalent teachers.

PPTA wrote to the arbitration panel a fortnight ago requesting that it reconvene to resolve the dispute after mediation with the Ministry broke down.

“The Ministry’s deliberate reinterpretation of the panel’s intentions for degree equivalent teachers and refusal to consider the panel reconvening to clarify its intention clearly shows a lack of will to resolve this dispute,” Mrs McCutcheon said, “the same lack of will it has demonstrated over the past 18 months.”

She said the Ministry’s position was extremely irresponsible as it could have serious consequences for curriculum delivery in subject areas such as art, technology, physical education and health, Mäori and music, areas already plagued by serious staffing shortages.

“Degree-equivalent teachers play a crucial role in these curriculum areas. If this problem is not addressed, we will see some people exit the profession at a time of recruitment and retention problems and we will simply not be able to replace them.

“It is unclear if the Minister of Education and the Prime Minister are supporting the Ministry’s position. If they are it raises serious credibility questions given their public commitment earlier this year to be bound by the findings of the panel.”

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