Latest news with #PPTATeWehengarua
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
PPTA Members Polled On Additional Pay Claim To Recognise Pay Equity Loss
Press Release – PPTA The shocking changes made recently to the Equal Pay Act have not only extinguished our members claim for pay equity, but they also prevent us from making a claim in the future, says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president. Members of PPTA Te Wehengarua, the secondary school teachers' union, are being polled on whether they want to lodge an additional pay claim in their upcoming collective agreement negotiations now that new pay equity law has locked them out of the process. 'The shocking changes made recently to the Equal Pay Act have not only extinguished our members' claim for pay equity, but they also prevent us from making a claim in the future,' says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president. Secondary teachers do not meet the new threshold of being in a profession that is made up of at least 70% women. New comparator rules also lock teachers out of pay equity claims as the education sector is female dominated. PPTA members had expected the pay equity process to help address the low wages which are a key driver of the current secondary teacher shortage crisis. 'So, we are holding a vote for members to decide if they want to lodge an additional pay claim in the collective agreement negotiations due to begin soon. 'This additional claim would recognise the fact that a pay equity claim process is no longer available to us, because of the changes that were steamrolled through Parliament, without public discussion or mandate, to fill the holes in the Budget.' The ballot of 21,000 PPTA Te Wehengarua members opens today and closes next Friday. Results will be available around 11 June.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
PPTA Members Polled On Additional Pay Claim To Recognise Pay Equity Loss
Members of PPTA Te Wehengarua, the secondary school teachers' union, are being polled on whether they want to lodge an additional pay claim in their upcoming collective agreement negotiations now that new pay equity law has locked them out of the process. 'The shocking changes made recently to the Equal Pay Act have not only extinguished our members' claim for pay equity, but they also prevent us from making a claim in the future,' says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president. Secondary teachers do not meet the new threshold of being in a profession that is made up of at least 70% women. New comparator rules also lock teachers out of pay equity claims as the education sector is female dominated. PPTA members had expected the pay equity process to help address the low wages which are a key driver of the current secondary teacher shortage crisis. 'So, we are holding a vote for members to decide if they want to lodge an additional pay claim in the collective agreement negotiations due to begin soon. 'This additional claim would recognise the fact that a pay equity claim process is no longer available to us, because of the changes that were steamrolled through Parliament, without public discussion or mandate, to fill the holes in the Budget.' The ballot of 21,000 PPTA Te Wehengarua members opens today and closes next Friday. Results will be available around 11 June.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget Initiatives Come At The Expense Of Working Women
Secondary teachers welcome some of the initiatives announced in the Budget today, including changes to the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) and an increase in alternative education funding, but deplore the way these have been funded, says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president. 'We can't ignore the fact that any gains to education from the Budget are being largely paid for with tainted money – money that was set aside to fund the just pay equity claims of almost 200,000 workers in Aotearoa New Zealand, says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president. It will be a constant reminder of the depths this Government is prepared to stoop to, to pay for unaffordable promises it made to win power.' 'The ORS changes have been long asked for and will make a significant difference to the serious needs of thousands of children and young people. However, secondary schools also desperately need more pastoral care staff and guidance counsellors to help rangatahi navigate complex issues and situations that are affecting their ability to learn and engage with school. 'There will be many secondary schools without learning support coordinators who will be wondering why they have been left out. Students and whānau need for support doesn't stop when they reach a secondary school gate. Chris Abercrombie said it was not surprising – due to numerous leaks – but still deeply concerning to see the Government doing away with kāhui ako, or communities of learning in order to fund other initiatives. Kāhui ako focus on transition, attendance and learning support, so are essential for ensuring the very students targeted by government initiatives in this budget can succeed at secondary school. 'Kāhui ako provide an alternative and greatly valued career path for about 4000 skilled and experienced teachers around the motu, many of whom may well leave teaching now, exacerbating our secondary teacher shortage. It should have continued to be funded, alongside new initiatives. 'We are pleased to see some increase in funding for alternative education – one of the most drastically underfunded areas of our secondary education system. There is a rapidly increasing need for a properly funded and resourced end-to-end system of support for young people at risk of disengaging from education. Funding for alternative education places has not increased for many years, while need has skyrocketed, so we welcome this – but wish it was a lot more.'
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Secondary Teachers Initiate Bargaining Amidst Teacher Shortage And Pay Equity Tensions
Press Release – PPTA More than a third of schools that responded to the survey have teachers working in subjects they are not specialists in because they simply cannot find the teachers. The survey was responded to by almost 150 principals of state secondary and area Every secondary student in Aotearoa New Zealand deserves a teacher who is trained in the subject they are teaching, and too many are being denied this, the latest PPTA Te Wehengarua staffing snapshot shows. Today, to mark the initiation of bargaining for the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement, PPTA is releasing its annual staffing survey. Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president, says the findings make sombre reading. 'Far too many rangatahi are missing out on the depth of knowledge and richness that subject specialist teachers bring to the classroom. More than a third of schools that responded to the survey have teachers working in subjects they are not specialists in because they simply cannot find the teachers. These findings come on the heels of the law change that put an end to the teachers' pay equity claim. The outcomes of this claim would have helped address the pressures placed on schools due to the ongoing shortage of secondary teachers. Other findings from the survey include: Thirty percent of teaching vacancies had no suitable applicants and 39% had only one A quarter of advertised vacancies could not be filled at all and 6% were filled by people with limited authority to teach (LATs) Almost 30% of schools have cancelled or transferred courses to distance learning because of a lack of qualified teachers Numbers of available day relief teachers (about six per school) are among the lowest on record since the staffing survey began about 25 years ago As at 15 March 2025, 34% of schools had vacancies that had not yet been advertised – the highest number on record. While the average number of applications per teaching position is better than last year's largely because of a significant increase in overseas applications, it is neither sustainable nor appropriate for schools to rely so heavily on teachers from overseas. 'We need a healthy supply of New Zealand-trained teachers across all subjects to ensure our young people receive the education they deserve. 'One of the most tragic things is that there is a good supply of locally trained and qualified teachers here in Aotearoa New Zealand – who have left the job for better pay and conditions. Many of these teachers would return to the classroom if the salary was attractive and there was a good work/life balance. 'Secondary teaching is an immensely rewarding career – helping young people discover their strengths, their passions and skills is so invigorating. It's also increasingly challenging, complex, and ever-changing. In bargaining we will be seeking salaries and conditions that will attract graduates to the profession and keep highly skilled and amazing teachers in the classroom.' The survey was responded to by almost 150 principals of state secondary and area schools around Aotearoa New Zealand. The Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement covers approximately 25,000 teachers in secondary schools as well as specialist technology teachers in intermediate schools and technology centres. The agreement expires on 2 July 2025.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Secondary Teachers Initiate Bargaining Amidst Teacher Shortage And Pay Equity Tensions
Every secondary student in Aotearoa New Zealand deserves a teacher who is trained in the subject they are teaching, and too many are being denied this, the latest PPTA Te Wehengarua staffing snapshot shows. Today, to mark the initiation of bargaining for the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement, PPTA is releasing its annual staffing survey. Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president, says the findings make sombre reading. 'Far too many rangatahi are missing out on the depth of knowledge and richness that subject specialist teachers bring to the classroom. More than a third of schools that responded to the survey have teachers working in subjects they are not specialists in because they simply cannot find the teachers. These findings come on the heels of the law change that put an end to the teachers' pay equity claim. The outcomes of this claim would have helped address the pressures placed on schools due to the ongoing shortage of secondary teachers. Other findings from the survey include: Thirty percent of teaching vacancies had no suitable applicants and 39% had only one A quarter of advertised vacancies could not be filled at all and 6% were filled by people with limited authority to teach (LATs) Almost 30% of schools have cancelled or transferred courses to distance learning because of a lack of qualified teachers Numbers of available day relief teachers (about six per school) are among the lowest on record since the staffing survey began about 25 years ago As at 15 March 2025, 34% of schools had vacancies that had not yet been advertised – the highest number on record. While the average number of applications per teaching position is better than last year's largely because of a significant increase in overseas applications, it is neither sustainable nor appropriate for schools to rely so heavily on teachers from overseas. 'We need a healthy supply of New Zealand-trained teachers across all subjects to ensure our young people receive the education they deserve. 'One of the most tragic things is that there is a good supply of locally trained and qualified teachers here in Aotearoa New Zealand - who have left the job for better pay and conditions. Many of these teachers would return to the classroom if the salary was attractive and there was a good work/life balance. 'Secondary teaching is an immensely rewarding career – helping young people discover their strengths, their passions and skills is so invigorating. It's also increasingly challenging, complex, and ever-changing. In bargaining we will be seeking salaries and conditions that will attract graduates to the profession and keep highly skilled and amazing teachers in the classroom.' The survey was responded to by almost 150 principals of state secondary and area schools around Aotearoa New Zealand. The Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement covers approximately 25,000 teachers in secondary schools as well as specialist technology teachers in intermediate schools and technology centres. The agreement expires on 2 July 2025.
