Minister recognizes technical teachers

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32554, 13 March 1971, Page 21

Minister recognizes technical teachers

The Association of Teachers at Technical Institutes has been granted sole negotiating rights on matters of salary and conditions by the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys).

This was announced in Wellington on Thursday, and severs the links which the 850 members of the association have had with the PostPrimary Teachers’ Association since 1964. In the past, technical teachers have had to consult the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association on all matters of salary and conditions.

TEACHERS’ COLLEGE The granting of sole negotiating rights to the A.T.T.I. leaves only one other organisation representing teachers in tertiary educational institutions without similar status. This group is the New Zealand Teachers’ Colleges’ Association, representing a large proportion of the staff employed in the country’s eight teachers* colleges.

The Teachers’ Colleges Association has reached agreement with the New Zealand Educational Institute and the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association on a salary case which will be presented to the Education Services Committee this month. A spokesman for the Christchurch branch of the Teachers Colleges’ Association said last evening that the success of the A.T.T.I.’s claim to sole negotiating rights had increased the chances of a similar move being taken by the Minister of Education in respect of the staff of teachers’ colleges. “All of this brings us a step closer to the formation of an organisation representing all staff involved in tertiary education," said.