Chris Abercrombie: PPTA President on the Government offering teachers a slightly higher pay rise

The secondary school teachers union is confident its members will take its advice and reject the Government's latest agreement offer. 

It almost doubles the pay increase included in their last offer, but the union says it's unevenly spread across the teaching workforce and sits below inflation. 

PPTA President Chris Abercrombie says teachers can vote any way they want, but the National Executive's recommending sending the offer back.

"The conversations I have this year with teachers and continue to have is that this doesn't meet what they need - what they see happening every single day in schools."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's deal with what's going on with the teachers now.
The government's almost doubled its payoffer to secondary school teachers.
They're now being offered a pay rise of two and
a half percent, then another two a year later. But
they want to increase the number of days that teachers
can be called in outside of term time and remove
the right to reimbursement for childcare and mileage. PBTA President
Chris Abercrombie is with US high Chris, I'm well, thank

(00:21):
you do not like this deal.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
It still doesn't meet the major issues at the heart
of it, that need for salaries, condition to keep skilled
and experience teachers in the job, and to lead schools
and students through the government's changes.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Okay, so basically, in a nutshell, not enough pay.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
It's not just pay, but I mean that that's not
enough it it's still below inflation. But there's a whole
Hebrew areas. Admin addressed our concerns around partial care, concerns
around curriculum support, and all of those areas. They have
potessional development around the curriculum well curriculum support. So there's
nothing in there for our head to department, the people
that are effectively going to be implementing or leading the

(00:59):
curriculum implementation and assessment implication in our schools. There's nothing
in this for them.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
Okay, how do you feel about them morning to increase
the number of days that teachers can be called in
outside of term time.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
I think with that in the combination of removing the
re embarrassments, it's not actually helpful and wonce again solve
the problems we're trying to address.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Okay, you're gonna advise your members to reject this.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yes we are, yep. So now our national executive is
recommended be rejected. But members obviously teachers can vote anyway
they want, but that is the recommendation from executive.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Okay. And do you think that your members majority will
support you in your position?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
I think so. So one of the conversations I have
have we had to see your teachers and continue to have,
is that this doesn't meet what they need, what they
see happening every single day in schools.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
All right, Chris, listen, thanks very much, really appreciate it.
Chris ab with Crombi PPTA present.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
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