Primary school principals have resoundingly rejected the Government’s latest collective bargaining offer, slamming it as “substantially inferior” to the offer accepted by secondary principals on Wednesday.
Lead negotiator of the NZEI Primary Principals team Martyn Weatherill said: “The offer fails to acknowledge the crushing workload and increased pressure primary principals face as a result of the Government’s rushed curriculum changes.
“Secondary principals were offered recognition of their vital leadership in curriculum change and what we are asking for is a similar approach.
“We will not accept an offer that ignores our daily crisis. This offer will not keep and attract school leaders or provide the resourcing needed to support principals in their critical work of leading learning for our tamariki.”
The rejection by NZEI Te Riu Roa primary principal members in a vote that closed at 12pm today follows a similarly strong rejection last week by teacher aides, administrative staff, librarians, kaiārahi i te reo, therapists, science technicians and other school staff of a below-inflation pay offer from the Government.