Two of the largest unions in North America have condemned the New Zealand Government’s charter schools legislation, stating it violates international labour obligations.

The presidents of the Canadian Labour Congress and the USA National Education Association (NEA) have written to Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, and her Associate Minister, David Seymour, saying the anti-worker, anti-union and anti-labour law contradicts international obligations to respect and protect the fundamental rights at work as contained in the International Labor Organisation (ILO) conventions.

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, told the Ministers that ‘your lack of support for the workers of the PPTA who provide so much to their students shows a lack of leadership on your part. An attack of this kind against your own workers is a well known step toward the full erosion of public services and greater suppression of peoples' rights.’

The NEA president, Rebecca Pringle, wrote that ‘excluding charter schools from MECAs (Multi Employer Collective Agreements) undermines collective bargaining effectiveness, potentially resulting in lower wages and benefits for charter school employees. This fragmentation could also harm employee morale and retention, ultimately impacting student education quality.

‘Also, this exclusion violates ILO Convention 98, which mandates that workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination in respect of their employment.’ She said the law makes charter school employees the only workers in New Zealand unable to negotiate MECAs, ‘violating the Convention's principles of fair and equal labor rights.’

Speaking ahead of World Teachers’ Day (October 5), Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president, says the charter schools legislation cannot be seen any other way than as a severe attack on teachers.

“The Government can say all it likes about valuing teachers and the importance of our role growing the future of Aotearoa New Zealand – but actions speak so much louder than words.

“Breaching international labour conventions in this way is being noticed around the world, adding to international concerns about the integrity and credibility of this Government.”

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