Time To Talk Investment In Education

Media Release April 27th, 2009
From NZEI Te Riu Roa For immediate use

Time To Talk Investment In Education – NZEI Welcomes Government’s Decision To Get Around The Table

Kindergarten teachers and school support staff are welcoming the government’s decision to start negotiations next week on new collective employment agreements.

Last week members of the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa visited the offices of 30 coalition government MPs, demanding that negotiations get underway urgently. Collective agreements for kindergarten teachers and support staff expired at the end of February and there have been ongoing delays in getting the negotiations started.

The employment claims are the first major public sector agreements to be bargained under the new National government.

For kindergarten teachers, the negotiations will test the government’s commitment to valuing quality in early childhood education. Teachers want their professional status recognised alongside teachers in primary and secondary schools.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says “if we are to value the importance of quality teaching in early childhood, then kindergarten teachers must retain pay parity with teachers in other sectors.”

For school support staff the talks are an opportunity to address long-standing issues of low pay and job insecurity. Support staff such as teacher aides work at the frontline of education, supporting teaching and learning, yet some earn as little as $12.94 an hour – only marginally more than the minimum wage of $12.50.

Paul Goulter says “we look forward to getting these negotiations underway and will be seeking an agreement which acknowledges the skills of support staff and the value they bring to children’s learning and the education sector as a whole.”

“Investing in education is even more important in an economic downturn because the quality of education that children receive now, will determine their contribution to a healthy society and economy in the future,” he says.

ENDS

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