Problems seen in allowance for teachers

Press, 7 May 1986, Page 16

Problems seen in allowance for teachers

PA Wellington Paying > secondary school teachers an allowance for working in understaffed areas would create serious implications for other employing authorities, the Public Sector Tribunal was told in Wellington. Mr David Swallow, The State Services Co ordinating Committee’s secretary, was appearing as a witness for the Education Department at the tribunal’s hearing on the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association pay claim.

Mr Swallow was discussing the P.P.T.A.’s application for a $2320 special staffing incentive allowance to encourage teachers to take up positions in areas which suffer particularly from the teaching shortage, such as Southland. The assistant commissioner (industrial relations) at the States Services Commission, Mr Swallow said there might be some short term benefits in the allowance but many fundamental points needed to be addressed for a long term solution.

First, the problem was not unique to secondary teaching or the education service, and there were many reasons which had nothing to do with money, such as social factors and housing, why people moved round the country. Second, the allowance had the disadvatage of being a. clip-on to a basic pay package.

Third, it was an approach with “quite significant Implications” for other employers, and other employing authorities were similarly grappling with the problem.

Mr Swallow said the problem was complex. “A proposition that throws in another couple of thousand dollars has implications elsewhere in the State pay fixing system,” he said, adding that the amount of money was substantial.

Aspects of the allowance were “not unattractive” but they might not go far enough. “The answer isn't simply to pay more when you have to pay more, but to pay less when you don’t have to pay more.”