Bay teachers join national strike

Local teachers joined colleagues from across New Zealand last Thursday in a day of strike action.

It meant that all five Golden Bay schools were closed as staff took the streets calling for better pay and work conditions. Although some kindergarten teachers also took part in the protest, operations were largely unaffected.

In Tākaka a group of teachers along with some students rallied at the Village Green. Placards highlighted their demands which, in addition to salary increases, include the need to ensure manageable workloads, provide better support for students and teaching staff, and increase staffing to facilitate smaller class sizes.

Secondary school teachers may down-tools again next Wednesday should union leaders fail to come to an agreement with the Government over pay and conditions. The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) members were due to hold a vote this week on whether to hold another day-long strike.