October 18, 2025 • 10 mins
More strike action from teachers this week, with a full national strike planned for Thursday.
Minister for Public Service Judith Collins says that the number one item on the agenda for the PPTA at a recent meeting with the Government was Palestine, not pay or education.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks'd
be more.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Strike action from teachers this week, starting with partial strikes
from Tuesday from Tuesday before a full national strike on Thursday.
Minister for Public Services Judith Collins said today that the
number one item on the agenda for the PPTA out
a recent meeting with the government was Palestine, not pay
our education anyway. Twenty one thousand secondary school teachers will
be involved in the strike action, and PPTA President Chris
(00:32):
Abercrombie joins me.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Now, good afternoon, Chris, good afternoon. Hey, what's your chief beef?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I'm just to clarify a couple of points you already
started with. There's no industrial election on Tuesday this week
or Wednesday. It's all Thursday this week, So does want
to make sure every listeners understand that.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Sure, Okay, what's the chief beef?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Well, we're just really concerned that this government isn't meeting
the needs of the education sector, the significant unmet need
and secondary and where we need an offer that meets
those that meets the unmet need.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That sounds fairly amorphous. What's your need?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Well, we need more partial care time, we need more
curriculum support. We're dealing with once in a generation curriculum
and assessment change. We need to make sure that we're
attracting and retaining our teachers, so he is a part
of that. We need to also make sure that we've
got access to high quality to professional development. Again with
the once in a generation curriculum and assessment change is coming.
(01:31):
So there's a whole range of issues and most of
those have not been dealt with by this government in
our bargaining process.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
When are you getting back to the negotiating table then,
and we.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Would meet this week, but unfortunately the Ministry has not
seen any bargaining dates till November. So we would meet
this week if the Ministry wanted to meet, but unfortunately
they don't seem to want to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Have you guys been acting in good faith on this.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I think we've been absolutely acting in good faith on this.
I think is really disappointing the Ministra has come out
to tell a whole month and half truths sort of
the second time. She is quite wolf in this process.
So it's really disappointing to see that.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I guess I'm trying to remember the news, but it
seemed that you did vote to strike pretty quickly before
really getting back into any substantial negotiation.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Well, the membership vote on this, so teachers have to
vote for the strike action. It's not it's not my
decision to strike. And we've had several days of bargaining
in this process and unfortunately we don't have any more
bargaining days until November. The ministry haven't agreed to any
until November, so it's very hard for us to get
around the table, as the minister keeps telling us, when
(02:35):
the ministry don't agree to that.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
So, I mean, the Minister Collins accused you guys of
playing politics. I guess everything is politics, but it does
feel like there's this sort of perfect stormlight. Let's you know,
from with all the strike action that's going on when
we're not a government that it's not a government that's
sloshing with money right now, are you sort of sort
of kicking the government in a way and parents when
(03:00):
they're at their busiest time of the year with exams.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And things like that, what's your response to that.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I mean, we're we're really disappointed we have to take
industrial action, but it was the government's decision to implement
once in a generation curriculum change, of the government's decision
to implement to change the NCAA change packaged and bring
it forward. These are all government decisions to make. We're
currently five hundred and fifty secondary teachers short this year.
We're five hundred short next year. That's the Ministry figures,
it's not mine. Our figures are actually higher than that
(03:29):
when we talk to principles, because we've got an awful
large number of non specialist subjects and speaking specialists. I'm
a history teacher. It'd be like me teaching physics. I'd
give it a good crack, but those kids wouldn't get
the best outcome and if they had a trained physics
teacher in front of them, and increasingly it's likely more
likely that your child would not have a subject specialist
teacher in front of them at high school.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Do you think it's regrettable that teachers voted for that
strike action before trying to nut something out around the
negotiating table.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Well, we keep trying to meet and negotiat around the table.
Like I said, they haven't got any negotiation dates till
November to get around the table.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
What I mean is that first vote, the vote for
the strike came pretty quickly when maybe was there room
to negotiate before the strike action.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
There's always room to negotiate. We've been negotiating since May
this year, and so you know, we've been more than
acting in good faith. We've been wanting to meet. We've
been clear in our expectations. We haven't changed that, we've
raised the concerns. We've got a minister who unfortunately is
but telling some half truth. I'm just going to assume
(04:29):
she's misunderstood in that process, and so it's really disappointing
the minister continues to keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
In terms of the minister you're talking about Judith Collins, yes.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Here, Yes, because we haven't actually heard much from Minister's
emfort on this. I think the only thing I've really
heard from Minister Stanford is that she's not across the
detail of the bargaining process.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Is how much of this is about money? Oh?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Well, all of it's about money, because it all costs money,
even time.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Time specific remuneration.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
It is part of it. We've asked for. We want
the minimum inflation. The offer is an meeting government current
inflation or predicted inflation in the time period.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
What are we at current or predicted.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Because that will both today and then predicted.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, I mean it.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Currently isn't today, and the predicted is in the future. Like,
so the offer isn't meeting either of those over the
time period that they've put out. So they put a
thirty month term on the last offer, and and and
two pay rises in that thirty month term and and
so neither of those over that time period would have
met inflation.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
So Judith Collins does say, quote, the government has acted
in good faith and met your demands for pay increases
in line with inflation.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So how do we how do we how do we
make what you're saying and what she's saying match up?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Well, you can look it up yourselves. I mean, they
offered us two point five percent they said in November
fifth that wouldn't happen. They their payross and would not
be out of process by that time, and then two
twelve months later, and then nothing for eighteen months. So
if you can put that in the inflation calendar on
the Reserve Bank, that will tell you exactly what that is.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Okay, Just to be clear, by the way, does what
you're asking for does that mean I think that that's
the state Judith has put out there that seventy six
percent of secondary teachers will be one hundred thousand dollars
or more.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
At the moment, the top of the scale is over
one hundred thousand, so teachers are at the top of that.
It's one hundred and three thousand at the moment, and
so the vast majority of our teachers are already at
the top of the scale. I think it's about sixty
five sixty six percent. So there's a natural progression that's
already in our Cleetland agreement. There will be some more
teachers on that.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yes, so that fact that might actually be something that
you'd agree on seventy six.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I'm not I'm entirely sure about the seventy six, but
definitely there is more there is teachers. Majority of our
teachers are on one hundred and three thousand.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, Okay, Look, I do almost don't want to ask
this question, but I have to. So Judith was saying
that the number one item on your agenda for the
meeting with Erica Stanford was Palestine, not pay Was that?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Was that?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Seriously the first item on the agenda? And what the
hell has that got to do with teaching in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Just to clarify, the Minister's office said they did not
want to talk about the bargaining process, So the issue
in the email said issues that relate to active claims
as part of the bargaining process. So it wasn't us
they didn't want to talk about it. It was the
Minister's office they didn't want to talk about it. This
meeting hasn't even happened yet. Palestine was one of the
agenda items. It was also NCAA changes AI marketing wasn't
(07:31):
number one just to the curriculum. It was the first
on the list, but it doesn't mean it was more
important than any others on the list. It just happened
to be first on the list. And the reason we
wanted to raise is that we're concerned and the policy
about the educational outcomes of everyone. And there's six hundred
and thirty thousand young people in the Gaza strip they've
not had access to education for a number of years
(07:51):
and we just wanted to raise that.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I look, yeah, okay, I guess there'll be a lot
of people, the average parents who's now had to find
extra day care that worried about their kids with exams
coming up and there's another strike. I think that the
way that reads is that you guys are living in
la la Land talking about Palestine.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I just want you to address that, you know so,
because it does sort of like what why is this?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Even as if New Zealand is suddenly going to influence
things that over there, does it demean.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
In New Zealand doesn't have influence and overseas issue?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think that when we're trying to talk about pay
conditions that we're just getting distracted by something that really
the Palestine thing. It just looks like that the eyes
not on the ball.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
As I said, the government, the Minister's office did not
want to talk about terms and conditions.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Yeah, but they didn't raise Palestine.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Did they mean to say that we know well? To
say that we didn't we wanted to talk about Palestine
over the bargaining process is incorrect, Okay. We would have
put the bargaining process as number one if the minister
wanted to talk about it. We would have put it
as number one, two, three, four and five if the
minister wanted to talk about it. Did not want to
talk about it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
So where do we go from here? Then?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Because I think parents will quickly have a guts full
approach of strikes. Obviously, people would like you know, we
want teachers to be able to do their jobs and
to have the resources. Where do you think where are
we going next? Be optimistic?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I'm always optimistic. I am. I'm always optimistic. All teachers
know you have to be to be a teacher. And
just a cliar point, I don't want to be an
industrial election. Our teachers don't want to be industr election.
We feel the frustration just as much as parents. Parents
let me know how they feel. There's very few that
are supportive of industry election in the sense of yay,
(09:35):
I'm really happy my child's giving time off school. But
they supportive of the goals because they know that they
want the best teacher in front of their child. That's
what I want for them, and that's what they want
for them. So no one's happy about the industry election.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But I'm an experienced guy on PPTA. So what's the
how optimistic up that we can get around the bargaining
table and sort something out.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
We would meet this week. Our bargaining team would meet
this week if the ministry wanted to meet. I am
more than confident that we can deal with this in bargaining.
That the point of bargaining is to get together and talk.
If the ministry is not setting bargaining dates, because both
of us have to agree. If the ministry is not
setting bargaining dates till November, it's very hard for us
to get to the table to bargain.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Okay, okay, I appreciate your time and thanks very much, Chris.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon from middle Thank you
so much.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
There we go. That's Chris Abercrombie, PPTA President.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk said Be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks'd
be more.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Strike action from teachers this week, starting with partial strikes
from Tuesday from Tuesday before a full national strike on Thursday.
Minister for Public Services Judith Collins said today that the
number one item on the agenda for the PPTA out
a recent meeting with the government was Palestine, not pay
our education anyway. Twenty one thousand secondary school teachers will
be involved in the strike action, and PPTA President Chris
(00:32):
Abercrombie joins me.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Now, good afternoon, Chris, good afternoon. Hey, what's your chief beef?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
I'm just to clarify a couple of points you already
started with. There's no industrial election on Tuesday this week
or Wednesday. It's all Thursday this week, So does want
to make sure every listeners understand that.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Sure, Okay, what's the chief beef?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Well, we're just really concerned that this government isn't meeting
the needs of the education sector, the significant unmet need
and secondary and where we need an offer that meets
those that meets the unmet need.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That sounds fairly amorphous. What's your need?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Well, we need more partial care time, we need more
curriculum support. We're dealing with once in a generation curriculum
and assessment change. We need to make sure that we're
attracting and retaining our teachers, so he is a part
of that. We need to also make sure that we've
got access to high quality to professional development. Again with
the once in a generation curriculum and assessment change is coming.
(01:31):
So there's a whole range of issues and most of
those have not been dealt with by this government in
our bargaining process.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
When are you getting back to the negotiating table then,
and we.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Would meet this week, but unfortunately the Ministry has not
seen any bargaining dates till November. So we would meet
this week if the Ministry wanted to meet, but unfortunately
they don't seem to want to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Have you guys been acting in good faith on this.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I think we've been absolutely acting in good faith on this.
I think is really disappointing the Ministra has come out
to tell a whole month and half truths sort of
the second time. She is quite wolf in this process.
So it's really disappointing to see that.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I guess I'm trying to remember the news, but it
seemed that you did vote to strike pretty quickly before
really getting back into any substantial negotiation.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Well, the membership vote on this, so teachers have to
vote for the strike action. It's not it's not my
decision to strike. And we've had several days of bargaining
in this process and unfortunately we don't have any more
bargaining days until November. The ministry haven't agreed to any
until November, so it's very hard for us to get
around the table, as the minister keeps telling us, when
(02:35):
the ministry don't agree to that.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
So, I mean, the Minister Collins accused you guys of
playing politics. I guess everything is politics, but it does
feel like there's this sort of perfect stormlight. Let's you know,
from with all the strike action that's going on when
we're not a government that it's not a government that's
sloshing with money right now, are you sort of sort
of kicking the government in a way and parents when
(03:00):
they're at their busiest time of the year with exams.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And things like that, what's your response to that.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I mean, we're we're really disappointed we have to take
industrial action, but it was the government's decision to implement
once in a generation curriculum change, of the government's decision
to implement to change the NCAA change packaged and bring
it forward. These are all government decisions to make. We're
currently five hundred and fifty secondary teachers short this year.
We're five hundred short next year. That's the Ministry figures,
it's not mine. Our figures are actually higher than that
(03:29):
when we talk to principles, because we've got an awful
large number of non specialist subjects and speaking specialists. I'm
a history teacher. It'd be like me teaching physics. I'd
give it a good crack, but those kids wouldn't get
the best outcome and if they had a trained physics
teacher in front of them, and increasingly it's likely more
likely that your child would not have a subject specialist
teacher in front of them at high school.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Do you think it's regrettable that teachers voted for that
strike action before trying to nut something out around the
negotiating table.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Well, we keep trying to meet and negotiat around the table.
Like I said, they haven't got any negotiation dates till
November to get around the table.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
What I mean is that first vote, the vote for
the strike came pretty quickly when maybe was there room
to negotiate before the strike action.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
There's always room to negotiate. We've been negotiating since May
this year, and so you know, we've been more than
acting in good faith. We've been wanting to meet. We've
been clear in our expectations. We haven't changed that, we've
raised the concerns. We've got a minister who unfortunately is
but telling some half truth. I'm just going to assume
(04:29):
she's misunderstood in that process, and so it's really disappointing
the minister continues to keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
In terms of the minister you're talking about Judith Collins, yes.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Here, Yes, because we haven't actually heard much from Minister's
emfort on this. I think the only thing I've really
heard from Minister Stanford is that she's not across the
detail of the bargaining process.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Is how much of this is about money? Oh?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Well, all of it's about money, because it all costs money,
even time.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Time specific remuneration.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
It is part of it. We've asked for. We want
the minimum inflation. The offer is an meeting government current
inflation or predicted inflation in the time period.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
What are we at current or predicted.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Because that will both today and then predicted.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah, I mean it.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Currently isn't today, and the predicted is in the future. Like,
so the offer isn't meeting either of those over the
time period that they've put out. So they put a
thirty month term on the last offer, and and and
two pay rises in that thirty month term and and
so neither of those over that time period would have
met inflation.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
So Judith Collins does say, quote, the government has acted
in good faith and met your demands for pay increases
in line with inflation.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So how do we how do we how do we
make what you're saying and what she's saying match up?
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Well, you can look it up yourselves. I mean, they
offered us two point five percent they said in November
fifth that wouldn't happen. They their payross and would not
be out of process by that time, and then two
twelve months later, and then nothing for eighteen months. So
if you can put that in the inflation calendar on
the Reserve Bank, that will tell you exactly what that is.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Okay, Just to be clear, by the way, does what
you're asking for does that mean I think that that's
the state Judith has put out there that seventy six
percent of secondary teachers will be one hundred thousand dollars
or more.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
At the moment, the top of the scale is over
one hundred thousand, so teachers are at the top of that.
It's one hundred and three thousand at the moment, and
so the vast majority of our teachers are already at
the top of the scale. I think it's about sixty
five sixty six percent. So there's a natural progression that's
already in our Cleetland agreement. There will be some more
teachers on that.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yes, so that fact that might actually be something that
you'd agree on seventy six.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I'm not I'm entirely sure about the seventy six, but
definitely there is more there is teachers. Majority of our
teachers are on one hundred and three thousand.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, Okay, Look, I do almost don't want to ask
this question, but I have to. So Judith was saying
that the number one item on your agenda for the
meeting with Erica Stanford was Palestine, not pay Was that?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Was that?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Seriously the first item on the agenda? And what the
hell has that got to do with teaching in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Just to clarify, the Minister's office said they did not
want to talk about the bargaining process, So the issue
in the email said issues that relate to active claims
as part of the bargaining process. So it wasn't us
they didn't want to talk about it. It was the
Minister's office they didn't want to talk about it. This
meeting hasn't even happened yet. Palestine was one of the
agenda items. It was also NCAA changes AI marketing wasn't
(07:31):
number one just to the curriculum. It was the first
on the list, but it doesn't mean it was more
important than any others on the list. It just happened
to be first on the list. And the reason we
wanted to raise is that we're concerned and the policy
about the educational outcomes of everyone. And there's six hundred
and thirty thousand young people in the Gaza strip they've
not had access to education for a number of years
(07:51):
and we just wanted to raise that.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I look, yeah, okay, I guess there'll be a lot
of people, the average parents who's now had to find
extra day care that worried about their kids with exams
coming up and there's another strike. I think that the
way that reads is that you guys are living in
la la Land talking about Palestine.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I just want you to address that, you know so,
because it does sort of like what why is this?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Even as if New Zealand is suddenly going to influence
things that over there, does it demean.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
In New Zealand doesn't have influence and overseas issue?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think that when we're trying to talk about pay
conditions that we're just getting distracted by something that really
the Palestine thing. It just looks like that the eyes
not on the ball.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
As I said, the government, the Minister's office did not
want to talk about terms and conditions.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Yeah, but they didn't raise Palestine.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Did they mean to say that we know well? To
say that we didn't we wanted to talk about Palestine
over the bargaining process is incorrect, Okay. We would have
put the bargaining process as number one if the minister
wanted to talk about it. We would have put it
as number one, two, three, four and five if the
minister wanted to talk about it. Did not want to
talk about it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
So where do we go from here? Then?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Because I think parents will quickly have a guts full
approach of strikes. Obviously, people would like you know, we
want teachers to be able to do their jobs and
to have the resources. Where do you think where are
we going next? Be optimistic?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I'm always optimistic. I am. I'm always optimistic. All teachers
know you have to be to be a teacher. And
just a cliar point, I don't want to be an
industrial election. Our teachers don't want to be industr election.
We feel the frustration just as much as parents. Parents
let me know how they feel. There's very few that
are supportive of industry election in the sense of yay,
(09:35):
I'm really happy my child's giving time off school. But
they supportive of the goals because they know that they
want the best teacher in front of their child. That's
what I want for them, and that's what they want
for them. So no one's happy about the industry election.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But I'm an experienced guy on PPTA. So what's the
how optimistic up that we can get around the bargaining
table and sort something out.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
We would meet this week. Our bargaining team would meet
this week if the ministry wanted to meet. I am
more than confident that we can deal with this in bargaining.
That the point of bargaining is to get together and talk.
If the ministry is not setting bargaining dates, because both
of us have to agree. If the ministry is not
setting bargaining dates till November, it's very hard for us
to get to the table to bargain.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Okay, okay, I appreciate your time and thanks very much, Chris.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon from middle Thank you
so much.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
There we go. That's Chris Abercrombie, PPTA President.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk said Be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.