Schools make plans in case teachers stay out

Press, 20 February 1986, Page 3

Schools make plans in case teachers stay out

By

ASHLEY CAMPBELL

education reporter Canterbury post-prim-ary teachers will meet at 8.30 a.m. today to vote on whether to take industrial action over their pay dispute. The regional chairman of the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, Ms Theresa Shaughnessy, has said she would not be surprised if teachers voted not to return to work for the day. The meeting was called to discuss national action.

Several of the region’s high schools have drawn up contingency plans in case teachers stay out.

The principal of Aranui High School, Mr John Grigor, said that if this happened, senior teachers would return to school and tell pupils to go home when they arrived at 10 a.m. Pupils at Mairehau

High School would also be sent home.

The principal of Kaiapoi High, Mr Malcolm Gray, said plans had been made, but he would not reveal what they were. “We have something organised if that should happen,” he said. Linwood High School would also be able to keep some pupils occupied by using administrative staff, and teachers who were not members of the P.P.T.A., as supervisors, said the principal, Mr Bill Swan.

Most principals said they had not made plans and would wait and see what happened.

In several schools a day-long strike could cause considerable difficulties. The deputy principal of Cashmere High School, Mrs Joy Stephenson, said it would be “an impossible situation” to handle.

“We are involved in organising a special programme for Friday, and we would need the time at school with the pupils,” she said.

Country schools would face extra difficulty if teachers did not return to work, said Darfield High School’s principal, Mr Bob Rybum. Many of the pupils came to school by bus and it would be difficult for them to return home. The school would simply have to “play it by ear.”

Some principals said they had not considered any contingency plans because they believed teachers would return to work after the meeting.

Teachers have called wild-cat strikes in the last two days to protest about the way the Government is handling the dispute. Shirley Boys’ High was closed yesterday because of a one-day strike.

Starting times for the region’s schools, unless the teachers vote not to return to work, are: Aranui, 10 a.m.; Avonside G.H.S., 9.50 a.m.;. Bumside, 9.50 a.m.; Cashmere, 10 a.m.; Christchurch 8.H.5., 9.50 a.m.; Christchurch G.H.S., 9.45 a.m.; Darfield, special arrangements have been made, and children who bus to school will arrive at different times throughout the morning; Hagley, 10 a.m.; Hillmorton, 10 "a.m.; Hornby, 9.30 a.m.; Kaiapoi, normal starting time — pupils will be supervised; Lincoln, the principal and deputy principal could not be contacted; Linwood, 10 a.m.; Mairehau, 10 a.m.; Marian College, 10 a.m.; Papanui, 9.45 a.m.; Riccarton, 10 a.m.; St Bede’s College, 9.30 a.m.; St Thomas of Canterbury, 9.55 a.m.; Sacred Heart College, usual starting time, swimming sports will be held; Shirley 8.H.5., 10. a.m.; Villa Maria College, 9.45 a.m.; Xavier College, 10 a.m.