OVERTIME NOT RECOGNISED

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 3

OVERTIME NOT RECOGNISED

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 16. The Education Department would not recognise any claims by teachers for overtime payments, the Director of Education (Dr K. J. Sheen), said today. He explained how pay deductions were made for teachers who were absent from schools on October 8 attending a stop-work meeting at Lower Hutt. “In some cases a full half day was involved, and a half day’s pay was deducted on the same basis as is done normally for teachers absent from their schools on leave without pay,” he said. “Where lesser periods were involved deductions were made for each complete half hour of absence on the basis

of one-fifth of a half day’s salary. “It is established practice under the regulations for two hours and a half teaching to count as a teaching half day for salaries and staffing purposes. “It is true that secondary teachers’ hours are not precisely defined in regulations, and the New Zealand PostPrimary Teachers’ Association has not sought to have them so defined. “The department believes that these deductions for absence during teaching hours are not related to any question of precise definition of hours of duty or to overtime. The department does not intend to recognise any claims for overtime such as have been advanced in the press."