Stop-works at kindergartens

Press, 3 December 1985, Page 1

Stop-works at kindergartens

PA Wellington Kindergartens will close on Thursday morning while teachers attend stop-work meetings to discuss a breakdown in their wage negotiations.

The wage talks broke down yesterday because the Kindergarten Teachers’ Association disagreed with the increases offered for/ head teachers, said the national president, Ms Jeanie McCafferty. “The association-.feels that unless a better offer is made there will be further retention problems with head teachers, Which will create an even more serious staffing problem,” she said. Many experienced head' teachers were already at the top of the scale, and the

increase offered by the Education Services Committee was only 9.7? per cent, compared with increases up to 15.6 per cent for basic grade teachers at the top of their scale.

“In view of this anomaly and fn the interest of retaining the best and most experienced teachers in the service, we cannot accept the present offer on the head teacher scale,” Ms McCafferty said. “We have already compromised substantially on our claim and we are now in the position of having to report back to members at stop-work meetings on Thursday morning. “We do not take this action lightly but the anomaly is unfair and will not be tolerated.”