School Caretakers’ Pay

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 1

School Caretakers’ Pay

“School caretakers have gained improvements in wages and conditions of employment i in recent years,” said Mr H. M. McMillan, Regional Superintendent of Education, commenting yesterday on the statement by Mr L. R. W. Lee, secretary of the Canterbury’ Caretakers and Cleaners’ union, in “The Press” last Friday. “But Mr Lee does not refer to these improvements,” said Mr McMillan. “In recent years a survey of employment conditions of school caretakers has been carried out at the request of the Education Boards’ Association.” Mr McMillan said “This led to an improved

scale of hours for caretakers and cleaners and to the approval by the Government of the payment of wages to caretakers in line with rates paid for similar work in the particular locality. Wages higher than award rates can therefore be paid where justified. Rates approved are higher than award rates. “At the same time, allowances for sick leave and retiring leave based on Public Service scales were granted to full-time caretakers. “These were not mentioned in the statement by Mr Lee." said Mr McMillan. Referring to the claim that certain award provisions were not being met. Mr McMillan( said that it was Government; nolicy to meet all award conditions. including the aroyls-! ion of wet-weather clothing! and overtime, where justified. He said, however -that H nnininn educatin' 1 hoards to which the union claim was

referred, there was no justification for wet-weather clothing. “To the best of my knowledge, no application has been made recently by the Canterbury Education Board for higher rates for caretakers,” said Mr McMillan. “If the board considers that it has a case, then any application made will be carefully considered. As reported in the article, the whole question of conditions of employment of caretakers is again being reviewed by the Education Boards’ Association.” The president of the North Canterbury Headmasters’ Association (Mr R. S. Jenkins), said last evening that the report in “The Press” on Fridav had stated the situation very fairly. His executive i endorsed the comments in the rennrt and would sunport anv move at all to improve the I conditions and rates of pay of school caretakers.