Media Release

15 September 2009

Polytechnics’ poor response means strike to proceed     
 

The six polytechnics whose staff voted last week to take industrial action unless their employer came back with an improved offer yesterday have completely failed to respond in any kind of meaningful way to the TEU. This means that strike is now inevitable this week at all six polytechnics. Industrial action will include an all day strike tomorrow at all six polytechnics.

The six polytechnics involved are NorthTec, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Waikato Institute of Technology, and Western Institute of Technology in Taranaki, Whitireia Polytechnic and Unitec. 950 staff at these six polytechnics have been in negotiations for six months now.

The impeding industrial action is a response to employer attempts to increase teaching days for academic staff from 185 per year to 204. Employers are also only offering a one percent salary increase with no back-dating and a 24 month term from the date of signing (effectively one percent for two and half years).   In some sites non-union staff have received between 4 and 6 percent backdated to January 2009.
The employers’ response to union members yesterday afternoon was simply to restate their existing position. 

“These workers are doing all they can for their polytechnics,” said Irena Brorens, TEU national industrial officer. “Enrolments are up and these tutors and lecturers are crucial in the current economic environment, giving job skills to people who need them.  Instead their employers are telling them that they are not working hard enough, and that they should be paid less.  It’s simply not fair.”

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