‘Overwhelmed’ staff are demanding more pay, more respect and better conditions

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

More than 50,000 primary and high school teachers have gone on strike in the biggest industrial action ever seen in New Zealand’s schools.

Since a Labour coalition government took power in late 2017, teachers have held three strikes calling for pay rises, better working conditions and more respect for their profession.

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But Wednesday’s one-day strike is the first time primary and high school teachers have united in action, dubbing Wednesday’s protest a “mega-strike”.

The protesters have so far turned down three pay rise offers from the government of 3%, and say they want 15% or more to continue their work. But the government says it has no more money to give.

Khali Oliveira, a primary teacher at Gladstone primary in Auckland, said the strike was a last resort. Oliveira has been a teacher for more than 20 years and said burnout was becoming common-place. If the teachers’ demands were not met she would be forced to quit and work in the private sector.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Thousands protest against teacher pay and conditions in New Zealand. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

“We don’t take striking lightly,” Oliveira said.

“Teachers are overwhelmed and we don’t have time to teach. That is a huge struggle. And there is a huge crisis in New Zealand in terms of a teacher shortage. We want the government to invest in the future of teachers and the country’s children – we’re sick of Band-Aid solutions.”

More than 700,000 children have been affected by the strike, with many parents forced to take time off work, or take children to work with them. Some local recreation spaces such as libraries and swimming pools were running programmes for children while others were joining their parents in the protests.

Sarah Gerritsen (@sarahtweetle) My 7 year old has been busy on her Teachers Strike morning off school! #KuaTaeTeWa #BacktheTeachers #BringOutTheBest #ItsTime pic.twitter.com/Nd0GbjHP7Y

Post Primary Teachers’ Association president Jack Boyle said it was “hugely disappointing” that talks with the government had stalled.

“A well-resourced, equitable education system is essential for a healthy society. We hope the government acts on its principles and makes that happen.”

Lynda Stuart, president of NZEI Te Riu Roa, the union that represents primary school teachers, said the sector was in “crisis”. Teachers were being forced to care for too many students, and were bogged down by excessive paperwork, pastoral care obligations, large class sizes and not enough funding for special needs students.

“Teachers have spoken – they want the government to find a solution, now. Our children cannot wait and neither can our teachers,” Stuart said.

“The offers we have received from the government have not addressed the issues our profession is facing. They will not turn around the crisis in education that is looming,”

Newton Central School (@NewtonCentralNZ) To all our teachers near and far, we are thinking of you today. We wish you all the best with your #MegaStrike #BackTheTeachers pic.twitter.com/HDATcojLJN

The Labour coalition government has been forced to recruit teachers from the UK and Australia to stem the shortfall. But many classrooms were still short of teachers, with principals forced to take over classrooms, or schools begging retired teachers to come back.

Education minister Chris Hipkins warned teachers to expect “dissapointment” as the government had already offered the highest pay rise possible.

The opposition National party said the strike was causing disruption to parents and carers nationwide as many city streets were closed by the strikers. The action would unfairly hit low-income families who could not afford child care, said Nikki Kaye, National’s spokeswoman on education issues.

“National supports shifting the bargaining parameters around teacher’s pay and workload, and we’ve called on the prime minister and minister of finance to intervene,” said Kaye. “We do not believe this will be resolved by the government sticking its head in the sand.”