Latest news with #teachersstrike
RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
More teachers may strike in Vanuatu
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly The Vanuatu government's decision to appeal the Supreme Court's ruling on the legality of the nationwide teachers' strike is being welcomed by the country's teachers union. The Supreme Court [ quashed a Teaching Service Commission decision to suspend and terminate over 600 teachers] for participating in a strike in a judgement handed down on May 30. The court declared that the industrial action, which started on 6 June last year and recalled on 10 August 2024, remains lawful. Jonathan Yona, general secretary of the Vanuatu Teachers' Union, told RNZ Pacific the strike was initiated over a range of pay remuneration issues spanning 18 years. These included basic pay rates as well as remuneration entitlements for members who were principals, and deputy principals, or worked away from their home island or villages, he said. "The Supreme Court declared that the industrial action issued by the Vanuatu teachers union is lawful," Yona said. "The government decided to appeal the decision of the Supreme Court, and the Vanuatu Teachers' Union welcomes the appeal, and we submission, then we can respond and wait for the Appeal Court." More than 600 members have faced disciplinary action over the strike, which marks its one-year anniversary tomorrow. Yona said these members were from around Vanuatu and had not taught for the past year. Instead, they'd taken up other activities like gardening around their homes and villages to keep them busy. He also urged other members of the union to join their colleagues in solidarity. In total, the union had 2400 members, Yona said. "As we're speaking, many schools in town are closing. In the provinces, most of the schools are closing down. We're looking forward [to] next week, there will be more and more schools closing down while teachers will be getting paid because the action was legal and we wait for the appeal. "We are calling on all the members to come if the Vanuatu government can come down and sign the collective agreement, then the Vanuatu teachers' union will call off the industrial action." According to a statement from the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the government will appeal the court's decision, as it believes the ruling could affect the future of the country's education system and workforce. The Minister of Education, Simil Johnson, and the deputy prime minister and Finance Minister, Johnny Koanapo, have met to discuss possible ways forward. They urged teachers whose names are not listed in the court judgement to refrain from joining on the VTU bandwagon. The government also assured that it remains steadfast in its commitment to settle all dues legally owed to teachers, and confirmed that all claims submitted have been verified as of 31 May, with payments being processed. The total amount paid so far is close to 2 billion vatu, which is a significant contrast to the 17 billion vatu and 20 billion vatu that was initially claimed at the start of the strike, said the government. The Government said it notes that a large majority of the claims could not be assessed due to lack of proper justification and/or documentation during the verification process.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New Haven teachers reflect on 1975 strike impact
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Several New Haven teachers that went on strike in 1975 reunited outside of the New Haven Superior Court house on Saturday. The gathering was designed to bring everyone together to remember the sacrifices that they made for modern day teachers. This historic strike resulted in 90 arrests. The teachers were charged with contempt of court and arrested after going on strike. The educators were calling for a fair contract and higher pay. They were brought into court when the judge requested that they return to work, but the teachers told the judge they did not think they could go back without a contract. Despite not knowing that their efforts would result in jail time, the teachers said it helped to encourage more improvements for teachers today. 'These are the teachers who made sacrifices for the teachers today to have the pay that they are getting,' Saundra Stephenson, a former teacher, said. 'When we all started, we were making under $10,000 a year.' According to the New Haven Federation of Teachers, this strike was supported by students, parents and other union members. 'When people ask me about teaching in New Haven and what I was most proud of, this is one of the things I was most proud of,' Richard Romao, a former teacher at Wilbur Cross, said.' The federation said another public event will be held later this year featuring retired teachers, students and parents from 1975. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Alberta teachers to vote on strike in early June
A classroom at an elementary school in Toronto pictured on Jan. 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young After members of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike authorization vote last week, another vote will take place in early June to determine if teachers will actually take to the picket line. Collective bargaining agreement negotiations have remained in limbo since teachers' contract ended in August 2024. The province said it is ready to return to the bargaining table 'at any time,' but did not provide any new information on the stroke vote. In a Thursday statement, ATA president Jason Schilling said 'concrete steps are needed to improve the neglect the teaching profession has suffered over the last decade.' The ATA rejected a mediator's recommendations for a new provincial collective agreement earlier this month. The recommendations included a general wage increase of three per cent per year, a process for teachers to deal with classroom complexities and $400 million in classroom improvements. Following the rejection, the ATA initiated a strike authorization vote to gauge the temperature of its members. Nearly all who voted were in favour of going to a strike vote. If the strike vote passes, teachers have 120 days to take action unless a resolution is made between the provincial government's Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association and the ATA. Some of the ATA's demands include wage increases and supports to address complex needs in crowded classrooms. Voting will take place June 5-8.
