SALARY DEMANDS Canterbury Teachers Support Deadline

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32362, 30 July 1970, Page 18

SALARY DEMANDS Canterbury Teachers Support Deadline

Support for strikes, rolling strikes, or a series of stop-work meetings if productive consideration of salary demands was not under way by October 1 was given at a meeting of the Canterbury’ branch of the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association last evening.

The meeting was careful to define “productive consideration” as being the responsibility of a decision of the national executive. The meeting, attended by more than 450 secondary school teachers, also supported any direct action recommended by its national executive in the event of unfavourable progress in salary negotiations. The meeting, which lasted for almost four hours, was marked by a general reluctance to pose the threat of strike action in the present wave of unrest among secondary school teachers The Canterbury branch spent more than one hour and a ' half debating calls to action J “If nothing happens when teachers are in the present 1 crisis situation, then no-one ■ will be attracted to a profession which shows itself to be I so apathetic,” said a spokes- I

. man representing 500 second- , ary school teacher-trainees. . Mrs S. Jack, of Rangiora 1 High School, said that teachers should not be “snobs”—and supported strike action. She cited the case of a recent teachers’ strike in Canada which had gained a three-fold increase in salary. “Real Need” Professionalism was “so much nonsense,” when the real needs of teachers and education were considered, she said. “I don’t think that anything Mr Taiboys has said in public has shown much hope. He has treated teachers as something which needs to be put down. Are we going to allow this? Are we going to let our North Island colleagues do our work for us?” said Mrs Jack amid loud r.pplause. In spite of some heated debate on the need for militancy, there was a general

reluctance to take such a stand.

, This was balanced by concern for the need of publicity ’on grievances other than salaries that are facing secondary teaching. The branch placed itself in general accord with the actions of its national executive, although some expression that the executive had been “leading from behind” was made. It was difficult to believe that the executive would have reacted with such alacrity if it had not been for the outspoken activity of some of the P.P.T.A. branches, a Burnside High School spokesman said. In a call for public support the national executive would need to be increasingly aware of the necessity to gain public sympathy. “Twisting” Danger There was a danger that the teachers’ protest had been twisted into another application for a wage rise and it was important for the public to know and understand the long-term grievances felt by teachers and the issues involved. During a discussion on the need for publicity fears were expressed by some teachers that this might result in “pinpricking” against the Minister of Education (Mr Talboys). From the floor: I wouldn’t like to see Mr Taiboys resign. We might get Mr Gair instead—heaven help us. Action Body An attempt to set up an education action committee at both national and regional levels combining all education bodies- was defeated. An important section of this attempt had called for close liaison with the primary teachers’ organisation the New Zealand Educational Institute.

Of the remits placed before the meeting, Bumside High School submitted 10, and Hiilmorton High School seven; there was one each from Mairehau, Cashmere, Christchurch Girls’, Rangiora, and Darfield High Schools, and one from the Christchurch Teachers’ College.