Secondary school teachers across New Zealand will begin their month-long industrial action today.
But speaking on TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning, both Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and teachers' union president Jack Boyle expressed hope an agreement with the Government could be reached by the end of the week.
The four-week strike initiative, known as "rostering home", will see teachers opt out of teaching a chosen year on a particular day -starting today with Year 9s.
The action follows last week's mega-strike, which saw 50,000 teachers walk off the job over pay and working conditions.
"It's about having enough time during the day to complete the work and having enough support so you can bring out the best for all children," Mr Boyle of the PPTA told Breakfast today of the reason for rejecting the Government's last offer of $1.2 billion.
The strike will see teachers opt out of teaching one year group at a time, starting with Year 9s from today. (Source: Other)
But the loggerheads with the Government doesn't have to be permanent, he said.
"We understand that a course correction after a decade of looking the other way isn't going to be done overnight, but there are ways of achieving teaching being a first-choice career," he said. "It involves having a more attractive salary and it involves having conditions of work so they can actually do the job.
"All we're asking for is a bit of support so that it is sustainable - so that we don't have great young New Zealanders coming in and getting spat out inside five years because it's just too much."
On average, a secondary school teacher is working 30 hours a week outside of non-contact hours that are paid, he said.
"The administration requirements are too big because there is insufficient support to deal with young people with learning needs," Mr Boyle said.
The Prime Minister and Education Minister Chris Hipkins will meet with both teachers unions on Thursday, and Ms Ardern told Breakfast today she remains hopeful the meeting will have a positive outcome.
The Prime Minister also talked about ongoing teachers’ strikes on Breakfast today. (Source: Other)
She said the Government is aware of the range of issues teachers have brought to the table.
The meeting is an opportunity to look at longer term issues, she said.
"We were aware, for instance, the unions were also worried about national standards - they campaigned on that - so we got rid of them," the Prime Minister explained. "They were worried about charter schools, so we got rid of that.
"They were worried about teacher support so we've put in additional learning coordinators across the country. They've been worried about issues around support for teacher aides and we've been working through those issues.
"So there are a number of other issues that have been part of ongoing education union campaigns that we'd like to think that we're addressing and working really hard on."
Ms Ardern also acknowledged complaints of teachers working overtime and the amount of "bureaucracy" and admin work educators have to do.
The Government's $1.2 billion offer, she pointed out, was more than the previous Government's total investment.
"These are issues where we absolutely see need, but it's going to take us time to answer that issue properly," she said.
It was the biggest strike in New Zealand’s history. (Source: Other)
SHARE ME