Night-school Teachers To Have Higher Pay

Press, Volume C, Issue 29516, 18 May 1961, Page 14

Night-school Teachers To Have Higher Pay

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 17. The Government has agreed to pay secondary school teachers an additional £40,000 in overtime for taking night classes, bringing the total overtime bill for these teachers to £160,000 a year. They will, in effect, be paid half a, day's salary for taking a night class lasting two hours.

The new rates will apply from April 1 this year. “A new and improved basis for the payment of overtime to post-primary teachers has been approved by the Government, and details are being supplied to the Post-pri-mary Teachers’ Association,” said the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) last evening.

“I am very pleased that this matter, which has been under negotiation for some time, is satisfactorily settled. lam sure that post-primarv teachers will welcome the new basis.” he said.

On details of the new basis. Mr Tennent said that teachers concerned would now receive 1-380th of a year’s salary for each evening of classes—in other words. a half-day's pay for a two-hour evening class. This was a rate equivalent to “time and a quarter.”

Overtime will apply only to teachers up to Grade 111. which has a maximum yearly salary of £1395 for men, and £1285 for women.

Mr Tennent said that he understood that the Postprimary Teachers’ Association wanted the new rates backdated to April 1. 1960 Commenting on the announcement this evening. Miss J. N. Wallace, president of the association, said: “We are very pleased to learn of the Minister's success in ob-

taming approval of the introduction of the new overtime rates. However, we have

asked for an early appointment to see the Minister regarding the date from which the new rates are applicable.”