‘Blackmail’ claim by school principal

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 9

‘Blackmail’ claim by school principal

Secondary school teachers are being "blackmailed” into accepting radical changes in their conditions, according to a Canterbury school principal. The State Services Coordinating Committee appeared to be forcing the P.P.T.A. to accept changes, before salary negotiations could commence, said the principal of Ashburton College, Mr Owen McDowell. Teachers will hold stopwork meetings next week after the breakdown of negotiations. The changes wanted by the committee included giving a greater managerial role to principals, and paying staff according to performance and subjects taught.

Mr McDowell said it was very difficult to get detailed information about the committee’s proposals. “However, if it is correct that there will be no negotiation until we have accepted change in principle, then that is a a

miscarriage of natural justice — almost blackmail.”

Secondary school principals approached generally said they saw some merit in the proposals, which would help schools to be more flexible and responsive. However, generally they felt that the proposals should not have been put foward as part of salary negotiations. Co-ordinating committee proposals are: • Each school being given an annual salary budget to pay all teaching staff.

• Salary budget to take into account roll size, special needs and location.

• Principals to be on fixed-term, renewable contracts, with enhanced salary.

• Performance bonuses for senior staff. • Management training for principals and staff. • Increases in ancillary support staff. •

• Grants to controlling authorities to cover teachers’ expenses for out-of-school activities. Mr McDowell said the ideas had merit in terms of total accountability, but procedures needed to be carefully set out first. * "We do have to address staff shortages in some areas. The P.P.T.A. would find it inequitable to pay some staff more — that’s a philosophical point that has to be debated.

. “To have that ‘power’ (to pay more) at this stage, would be wrong.” The principal of Riccarton High School, Mr Barry Maister, also said he would not like to see all the proposals dismissed out of hand.

“The rewarding of good teachers, and the proposals to ‘lead’ teachers (who would stay in the classroom) are good.” The committee should detail the specifics.

“It could be divisive of the staff — I like to think we have a co-operative operation, not a competitive business.”