Area school teachers across the country will vote on whether to move to industrial action this term, including taking rolling strikes, says NZEI Te Riu Roa, New Zealand’s largest education union.
Area school teachers have only had one offer which was back in December 2022.
The vote on industrial action includes three actions: a relief teacher work ban, a ban on meetings outside of school hours, and rolling strikes from Tuesday 9 May to Thursday 11 May.
If area school teachers vote to take industrial action they will join their area school principal and primary principal colleagues who are currently undertaking a work ban. This work ban includes a pause on all Ministerial work such as implementing the Curriculum Refresh, or collecting or collating any information on behalf of the Ministry. Any move to industrial action by area school teachers would align with action undertaken by PPTA secondary and area school teachers.
The ballot runs from Thursday 27 April until 5pm, Monday 1 May.
Further negotiations with the Ministry take place at the end of next week. If an offer is received that meets the needs of area school teachers, any industrial action agreed by area school teachers can be called off.
Recent media releases
-
Downgrading Te Tiriti in Education Act threatens learner success, NZEI Te Riu Roa warns
NZEI Te Riu Roa says the government must heed the Waitangi Tribunal’s urgent recommendation to immediately pause its proposal to repeal and downgrade Te Tiriti o Waitangi…
-
Teacher voice critical in developing national guidance on AI in education
NZEI Te Riu Roa says teachers need a seat at the table in developing proposed national guidance on AI use in education.
-
NZEI Te Riu Roa raises concerns over representation on new Teaching Standards Advisory Group
Appointing no current classroom teachers to a newly formed Teaching Standards Expert Advisory Group (EAG) is a serious gap, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.