Teachers Prepare For Strike

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32384, 25 August 1970, Page 28

Teachers Prepare For Strike

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 24. Primary school teachers today instructed their leaders to make immediate preparations for strike action over their pay claim, and authorised the establish* ment of an emergency fund. This unprecedented action was taken in Wellington today by 150 teachers, from many parts of New Zealand, at the first special general meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

Last night the meeting, after considerable debate, decided that the institute’s salary negotiators should resume negotiations with the Education Service Committee, but that delays like those experienced over the last 10 months would 'not be tolerated.

The institute’s negotiations, in which a 16 per cent increase for the eighth step of the basic scale was sought, broke down last month. It is understood the committee offered 10 per cent. According to the annual report of the Education Department there are 17,110 State primary school teachers in New Zealand.

The following statement was issued at today’s midmorning break of the meeting:—

“The special general meeting overwhelmingly carried a motion authorising the national executive to make immediate preparations that could lead to the withdrawal of teachers from schools. “As a result of a letter from the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys), the institute believes that the Minister and the Government are committed to assuring that negotiations result in a satisfactory conclusion.

“Representatives expressed the hope that the action of

withholding of services would not be necessary. “Also, the meeting authorised the setting up of an emergency fund to pay, in certain circumstances, an allowance to teachers who are asked by the national executive to withdraw their services and to meet the cost of publicity material to gain support for the institute’s actions.”

The institute’s president (Mr M. W. Hunter), asked under what circumstances the executive would decide on strike action, said: “All I can say is the decision would have a direct relationship to the success or otherwise of our salary negotiations.” He said he did not think the decision was just a threat. “I think it is a very reasonable precaution so that we will be ready for all eventualities,” he said. Although there was considerable debate before the decision, Mr Hunter said it was clear there was overwhelming support.

“We were left in absolutely no doubt about the teachers’ feelings,” he said. One of the big hurdles that had been taken was the deci-

sion to set up an emergency fund.

The delegates discussed the ways in which money could be raised and the forms in which the withdrawal of services by teachers could he taken.

The institute passed a motion “that all members of the Institute be asked to make a voluntary contribution of at least a day’s pay to the fund.” The institute’s executive officer (Mr G. A. K. Francis), said primary teachers had reached the stage of believing that they must seriously contemplate direct action because no other avenues seemed to be open for them. “For a number of reasons, the direct action they would be able to take would be designed to focus public attention on the educational situation,” Mr Francis said. “It is not designed to disrupt the country. It is an expression of unwillingness to accept the conditions and situation in which they find themselves.” Men Withdrawing It had to be borne in mind that, by looking at the statistics, more men were withdrawing their services from teaching than ever before.

In the period 1966 to 1969 there were 1288 more teachers but included in that figure were only 24 men—-an average of eight new men teachers a year. It had to be stressed that today’s decision was not reached lightly. The debate on the question had started last night and continued for and hour and a half this morning. There had been very full discussion on what the decision meant and on its implications.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous vote of confidence in the executive’s stand and actions. The resolution read:

“This meeting commends the firm stand taken by the executive in the salary negotiations and calls upon all members to support whatever action is called for by the executive as being necessary to obtain a just settlement to the primary teachers' salary claim."

Support Expressed At a meeting in Wellington today the national executive of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association expressed support for the members of the institute. “There is no doubt that the social and economic future of this country depends on the quality of its education system, and this in turn depends on its willingness to see that its teachers are given adequate rewards and conditions of work, ” the association's president (Mr E. F. Hamill), said at the meeting. “Our members can certainly appreciate the feelings of frustration on the part of the primary service and support their calls for urgency in dealing with their claim.”