Teachers to call special meeting

Press, 25 February 1981, Page 6

Teachers to call special meeting

Christchurch primary schoolteachers decided last evening to call a special j meeting to discuss the Govlemment Service Tribunal’s (rejection of their call for (more pay. 1 The North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute decided to call the special meeting at a regular meeting held last evening. More than 70 primary schoolteachers attended. ' At the special meeting, the feelings of teachers would be tested and it would be decided what action to take, if any, said the president of the branch, Mr N. Anderson. The N.Z.E.I.’s national executive was “shocked and disgusted” by the tribunal’s virtual nil order, said an executive member, and a member of the Christchurch: branch management com-' mittee, Mr L. Familton.l Since the order, the execu-' tive had raised the matter of! staffing with both the Educa-! tion Department and the l

Minister of Education (Mr Wellington), he said. “The national president Sand secretary received a lukewarm reception when they visited the Minister,” said Mr Familton. I “Ft has been decided that j it is imperative to make a i new claim, and this will I probably follow the annual {general meeting in May,” he 'said. j .There was resentment i among ...the members of the I Christchurch branch over the , decision, he said. . '" ' Of the 1018 teachers who I went into primary schools ini j 1977, only 686 remained byi i the beginning of last year.,! (The institute did not accept! the tribunal’s claim that that! was an “acceptable turnover.” The number ofteachers moving to secon-i dary schools and leaving the: profession was of great; concern. | The small number of male'' teachers, and the fact that:, primary schoolteachers were 1 getting less money for: teaching .Form I and. Form 2 pupils than teachers in a Form 1

to Form 7 secondary school were other worries, Mr Familton said.

In a primary school, a first year teacher could earn, according to qualifications, $11,431, $11,732, or $12,634 but the rates for starting in a secondary school were $11,695. $12,261. or $13,395. At the maximum of the basic scale, the differences were greater, according to the institute.

I “The surplus of teachers ■that always occurs at the be- ; ginning of the year, when I rolls are at their lowest, is ;always reduced by the middle lof the year,” said Mr Fam'ilton. Schools were desneriate to “hang on” to their I first term staff because they were aware of the situation.

If the schools were not .properly staffed, the service ! could not be provided. ! Possible courses of action for the rest, of the first term I were formulated at a meeting of the standing committee pf| the N.Z.E.I.’s executive in; Wellington yesterday.

“Members will be asked to provide their opinions and ideas, and questionnaires will be sent to all members,” Mr Familton said. •

The response , from the members would decide the next steps.

Strike action was “a long way down the list.” The institute believed in the process of negotiation, and had not held a strike in its 97year history, he said.