Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) teachers will strike tomorrow (Wednesday August 20) in solidarity with teachers around the country after a one percent pay increase offer from the government.

MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen has advised parents that local Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) member teachers will be striking and school will be closed, and rolling strikes are possible between September 15 and 18.

The decision to strike following the government’s offer for settlement of their collective agreement negotiations was “endorsed overwhelmingly” by members, PPTA president Chris Abercrombie said.

He said the government’s offer of a one percent pay increase “is the lowest in a generation and comes at the same time as teachers face the biggest changes to secondary education in a generation”. 

Chris said it was a time of “momentous change” in secondary education and it was important to attract graduates and others to the profession and keep experienced teachers in the classroom - which was crucial to the implementation of the government’s proposed NCEA reforms.

“We are also witnessing increasing numbers of young people struggling with more complex needs such as mental health, emotional and societal issues that are not being met,” he said, adding that teachers’ claim for more pastoral care time and funding “was completely ignored in the government’s offer”.

The government’s offer failed to address other PPTA claims, such as the need for greater recognition of curriculum leaders, the need for more subject specialist advisers, and the need for teacher-led professional learning and development funding, he said.

Chris acknowledged teachers’ industrial action would be disruptive for many parents and caregivers. 

“However, parents know what our work involves, they know we care about our students and the education they receive… We ask parents to stand with us as we strive for a better deal for all students.”

MAC has offered to supervise “a small number of students” for those who are unable to make alternative arrangements tomorrow, Nicola said.

Nicola said the school will send further information to parents and whanau about the rolling strike action in September once the PPTA has notified MAC if it is going to take place.

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