Teachers to vote on ‘further action’

Press, 30 July 1980, Page 6

Teachers to vote on ‘further action’

Canterbury secondary’-; school teachers will hold a stop-work meeting tomorrow i to consider Government: moves to deny’teachers the; right to negotiate, “class-con-1 tact hours.” They will vote on "further industrial action?’! The president of the Can-!

terbury .branch of the Post: Primary Teachers' Associa-] tion, Mr E. W. Campbell, said: that more than 1000 metn-i bers of the branch had been; directed to attend the meet-! ing and representatives ofi kindred organisations were! aiso expected to attend. The! meeting would be held at: Hillmorton High School at! 1.30 p.m.

A good attendance was expected because teachers! realised it was an important! issue. Members who did not! attend could be subject to‘ disciplinary action. | Supervision of schools dur-i ing the teachers’ absence; would be a matter for the' board of governors at each! school. The schools could be! supervised either by board; members or pupils’ hours of! attendance could be varied.): All teacher groups would! be affected by the amend-; ment to the State Services; Conditions of Employment' Act which was now before : Parliament. ' ■

The amendment would; deny teachers the right to] negotiate or seek arbitration!: on the hours that they were; in contact with classes. Ifj the amendment became law| the Government would have; the “total initiative” for im-l

; proving teacher-pupil ratios; in schools. ' . j j “Teachers feel that this is 'something they would like' : to have the option of taking! •to a tribunal.if negotiations, 'are not satisfactory,” said Mr; . Campbell. I The meeting will be one of'

many to be held throughout 1 [New Zealand between now land August 6. ; ;! All Auckland second-: ary-school teachers who are members of the P.P.T.A.; [have been ordered to attend; ■ a stop-work meeting tomor- : row.