‘Insulting’ pay offer

Press, 4 March 1978, Page 3

‘Insulting’ pay offer

PA Auckland The Post Primary Teachers’ Association has released details of the Government’s salary offer — the reason for the present impasse in pay talks. I A P.P.T.A. newsletter j headed “Salaries offer an insult to secondary teachers,” [which was kept confidential I until yesterday, told all branches that the Government had rejected any increases for teachers on the basic scale, and refused the translation of non-graduates in the service before 1971. Other claims dismissed by [the Education Services Committee included elimination of the country service and manual training bar, any service increases and rises for evening class tutors. Increased allowances for

positions of responsibility were offered, ranging from $99 to $390 a year, and payments for associate teachers would have gone up by $3 a week if the offer had been accepted. The offer, costing, about S2M a year, was a “far cry” from the $4OM-a-year claim of the P.P.T.A. The association had since modified its pay demands. The newsletter said no increases were offered to senior mistresses, deputy principals or principals, except in the 11 smallest secondary schools. The Government had offered study leave to only 10 more non-graduates a year, it said. The rates offered career advisers were only 10 per cent of those wanted, an offer for casual relief teachers would have

meant a loss for many day i relievers. Further protest by teach- ; ers is expected to be decided 1 at the three-day meeting of 1 the executive of P.P.T.A. i which began yesterday.