Teachers outraged at Government’s actions

Press, 2 August 1989, Page 9

Teachers outraged at Government’s actions

Members of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association from throughout the country expressed outrage yesterday at the Government’s legislating over their award.

An emergency meeting in Wellington was attended by more than 70 representatives of the P.P.T.A. executive, regional officers, principals and area school members of the union, as well as representatives from the primary teachers’ union and the Kindergarten Teachers’ Association. The P.P.T.A. called the meeting last Friday to hear a report on the State Sector Amendment Bill, now before the select committee, and to consider actions to oppose it. The general secretary of the P.P.T.A., Mr Kevin

Bunker, said he had not been at a meeting where, such a unanimous mood of anger had been expressed. He said the meeting was further angered by finding out the Government had been secretly negotiating with groups which could not legally represent secondary school principals.

“The P.P.T.A. was not aware these meetings were taking place. We had our suspicions, but whenever we asked this was vehemently denied/’

Mr Bunker said the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (S.P.A.N.Z.) and the School Trustees Association could not purport to represent the views of secondary teachers. "The P.P.T.A. is the

recognised union that represents secondary school teachers, including principals. S.P.A.N.Z. is not a regular union and doesn’t have bargaining rights, and the trustees’ association is an interim body only.”

The P.P.T.A. said the Government was dealing with these groups, yet leaving out the proper representatives. Mr Bunker said principals, senior staff and staff representatives from each school would attend regional meetings, beginning today in Wellington and continuing until next week.

Two-hour paid union meetings for all members would follow, shortly before the P.P.T.A. held its annual conference late this month, he said.