Teachers will hold emergency meeting

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 2

Teachers will hold emergency meeting

PA’ Wellington The Post-Primary Teachers’ Association will hold an emergency meeting in Wellington on Wednesday to discuss -alleged Government interference , in the -ight of teachers to negotiate conditions of employment. The P.P.T.A.’s president, (Mr D. R; J. Baird), said the Government’s meddling had stirred a very sharp protest by secondary teachers throughout New Zealand. The emergency meeting, a step taken only about three times in the last decade, would involve members, of the national executive and chairmen of the P.P.T.A.’s 24 regions. Mr Baird said the source of the trouble was the State Services Conditions of Employment Amendment . Bill, which was soon to be reported back to Parliament by the Labour and Education Select Committee. “The bill removes from teachers any. effective right to conciliation and arbitra-

[tion on hours of work, a [right which is now held by :all State servants,” he said. ' The removal of the right |to negotiate “class . contact [hours” hit at the core of a Teacher’s workload. “It is the principal generator of the teachers’ total [workload, because upon it [depends the time which must be spent in preparation and marking for the teaching periods,” says Mr Baird. “For the great majority of classroom teachers, any right to negotiate total hours of work is absolutely meaningless unless the class contact load can first be fixed. “This blatant interference with the rights of teachers has also stirred the anger of technical institute tutors, primary teachers, and kindergarten teachers. The Combined State Unions also strongly oppose the bill because it is an attack on the teacher unions and because it contains clear implications for other groups of State workers,” Mr Baird said.