Chris Abercrombie: PPTA President on secondary school teachers announcing a strike to take place next week

Unionised secondary teachers who say kids' needs aren't being met in school will strike next week, nationwide.

They'll step away from the job next Wednesday after rejecting a three percent pay increase over three years.

The PPTA says experienced teachers will be crucial to successfully rolling out proposed Government NCEA reforms.

President Chris Abercrombie says the teachers introduced a counter-offer, but it's up to the Government to do their part.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now bad news obviously if you've got kids at secondary school,
because teachers have announced they're going to go on strike
next Wednesday. They say the government's payoffer of a three
percent rise over three years is unsatisfactory. Chris Abercrombie is
the president of the PBTA and with us.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hey Chris, good, how are you very well? Thank you?
So what does this mean? No school little on Wednesday?

Speaker 3 (00:18):
Ah? Yeah, So for scenidary schools, no members will be
at those schools next Wednesday. Unfortunately, that's a decision we've
had to the membership has had to make. Teachers they've
had to make.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Okay, So have.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
You conducted your your negotiations and good faith because the
Public Service Commissioner says you haven't.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
I disagree with that. We're literally bargaining on Friday. It
was confirmed yesterday, so we're still at the table. We're
still bargaining. We've got a really well thought out claim
that deals with the needs of the sector. So yeah,
I disagree with that.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Have you put a counter offer on the table?

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Well, we turned up with an offer. That's that's the
point of bargaining. We came with a claim. We said
these are the things that need to meet the unmet
need in our sector, and so we're and we will
to discuss those. So it's up to the government to
sort of do their part in this equation. We're doing ours,
so it's up to it's on the government side.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
What's your claim?

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Well, there's several passwords. There's obviously a pay claim. There's
also we need and cenders for curriculum leaders. We more
subject specialist advisors, teacher lead, PLD and development. We've got
so much change happening in the sector at the moment,
we need these really experienced leaders to be able to
support that change package through.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Okay, and what's your pay claim?

Speaker 3 (01:31):
So it's a four percent a year for three years
and then plus another four percent in the first year
to recognize the removal of the pay equity claim that
we went almost about the settle but then was removed
with the urgent law.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
True holden, was that four percent a year for three years?

Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah, so four years, four year for three years at
plus a four percent and extra four percent in the
first year because of the removal of the pay equity
under urgency.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
So eight percent in the first year, then four percent
then four percent yep.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Okay, do you think that's reasonable.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
Well, we believers what we need to to meet the
needs we know we have an increasing shortage of teachers,
we have an increasingly complex work environment, and we need
to make sure we've got the skilled specialists in front
of our young people to implement the government change, but
also to maximize our young people to be the best
they can be.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Oh yeah, look, I want the good ones to be
paid paid really well, I totally agree with you. But
didn't you get fourteen and a half percent two years ago?

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, and we need we need more. We need We
don't have enough teachers, is the short answer. And we
need more. Who are you.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Going to get the money from? Where's the government going
to get the money from?

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Well, the government can make decisions about where they spend
their money, and it's up for the government to decide.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, okay, so you're okay if we start cutting stuff
like I don't know, reserve bank stuff, so you can
get pay raisers.

Speaker 3 (02:43):
The government has to make decisions that make so for instance,
tax cuts for landlords for instance, or the decision they made.
They could make other decisions. It's up to the government
to decide how they spend their money. We believe the
best way is to support education.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Listen, Chris, I love you guys. I love a teacher.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
I think you guys do excellent work, and I think
that brilliant one should be paid heaps because kids are
the most important thing that we do.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Right.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
But I just think that you're going to lose the
confidence and you're going to lose the support of people.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
This looks really grasping.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
I disagree with that. We know parents want the best
of the kids. Teachers want the best of the kids.
We know parents support their local schools and their local
teachers and total somebody.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Else Chris named somebody else who was paid fourteen and
a half percent two years ago and then is going
to get eight percent and then four percent and then
four percent. That's not happening to anybody.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, we disagree. We think that this is really important.
It's what we need to meet the needs of our students.
We know there's increasing complex need in our schools and
we need to have a workforce ready to meet that.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Chris, listen, thanks very much, appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Chris Abercrombie, President of the PPTA, I think you can
see where this is going.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
I don't think they're going to be Flavor of the month.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
After this are they for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive.
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