Teachers’ pay hearings start

Press, 21 April 1986, Page 4

Teachers’ pay hearings start

PA Wellington The secondary teachers’ salary claim, which sparked unprecedented industrial action by teachers in February, will go to arbitration today. The hearing is expected to last at least a week. Both sides — the iPostPrimary Teachers’ Association and the:Education Department — have many of witnesses to the extent and seriousness of the secondary tejcher shortage. The association bases its case on what it sees as a severe recruitment and retention problem. Recent association surveys show 400 vacancies, plus another 160 resignations pending, jj The association will call as witnesses practising teachers and several who left for jobs in the private sector.

The association seeks increases which would give a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree $22,407 a year (up from $16,880) and an elghthyear teacher a salary of $36,152 compared with $26,073. It also wants changes in the pay structure for middle-management positions, and special staffing allowances for schools with particular recruitment problems. The department will argue there is no serious recruitment and retention problem, and that salary increases are unnecesssary. The association president, Mr Peter Allen, said yesterday that the association hoped to get a ruling six to eight weeks after the hearing. The association expected a battle, but was confident it had a strong case.