Despite a chilly drizzle, Wairarapa nurse Jacinda Tamatea turned out in Masterton on Wednesday this week to support her striking local kaiako in solidarity in the face of Government “attacks” on workers.
‘One way I can show up is to be there alongside a profession who works hard for our tamariki.’
“I respect them and believe in the mahi they do. I believe they are worth all they are asking for, and some,” Tamatea told Kaitiaki.
“The Government’s decision to attack workers has been unbelievable and one way I can show up is to be there alongside a profession who works hard for our tamariki.”
“I appreciate what teachers do. I have kids and they’ll be going to school one day.”
Another Wairarapa nurse, Amy Tubman, said her husband was a teacher so she saw first-hand how stressful the job was — and how long the hours were.
“It is not only the day-to-day teaching that he does, it is the behind-the-scenes pastoral care.”
Workloads had increased in the 20 years her husband had taught and he often stayed up till midnight, and spent holidays, working on lesson plans and other behind-the-scenes work.
“I support them, as they have supported us.”
‘Lowest in a generation’
More than 20,000 members of PPTA Te Wehengarua — the secondary school teachers’ union — went on strike on Wednesday August 20 from 8.30am to 4.30pm around the country.
The strike came after the Government offered a one per cent pay increase, which PPTA president Chris Abercrombie said was “the lowest in a generation”.
‘I appreciate what teachers do — I have kids and they’ll be going to school one day.’
He slammed it as insufficient to retain and attract staff as secondary teachers face a tumult of change from the Coalition Government.
The teachers’ action came hard on the heels of the NZNO Te Whatu Ora members’ vote to strike for two days in the first week of September.
That followed a strike in July that saw more than 36,000 nurses walk out of hospitals for safe staffing and patient safety.
The strikes are causing headaches for a coalition Government under pressure from lacklustre polling, multiple industrial disputes and economic woes.
Public Service Minister Judith Collins was facing pressure herself after incorrectly saying teachers had 12 weeks of leave, and — previously — that senior teachers were paid $147,000 salaries.
Teachers on strike in Wellington yesterday told Kaitiaki they wanted a cost-of-living pay rise but also recognition of the immense changes in education being thrust on them so quickly by the coalition Government — including dumping internal-assessment model NCEA in favour of exams and new reading, writing and maths standards.
