Paid Union Meetings for all PPTA Te Wehengarua and NZEI Te Riu Roa members covered by the Area School Teachers Collective Agreement

As a result of the mosque attacks in Christchurch, we have discussed with member leaders how we respond and whether or not it is appropriate to continue with our planned activities in the next week or two.

Taking the lead from them, the NZEI Te Riu Roa National Executive has cancelled ALL paid union meetings for area school teachers due to start on March 25. This is as a mark of respect for the 50 children, men and women murdered in the attacks and to ensure schools and ECE services can focus on children and their needs. 

Members will now hold joint site meetings after school with their PPTA colleagues to discuss and vote on endorsing their claim for upcoming collective agreement negotiations.

The Area School Teachers Collective Agreement (ASTCA) expires on 7 April, 2019.

The PPTA and NZEI Te Riu Roa have both been engaged in major campaigns to address serious issues for both primary and secondary teachers.  The issues for all teachers in the compulsory sector, being under-valued and having increasingly unmanageable workloads, are the same regardless of whether you teach in a secondary, primary or area school/wharekura.

Both unions have been advocating for significant enhancements to teachers' terms and conditions of employment through the NZEI Kua Tae Te Wā and the PPTA Bring Out The Best campaigns.