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About 250 teachers, principals and supporters from across the Mahurangi district gathered at the Warkworth Town Hall on March 16 to show their support for a national campaign for better pay rates and working conditions.
The day-long strike action was organised by the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) and New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI). It involved primary and secondary school teachers and principals, as well as early childhood educators.
The strike followed failed negotiations between the government and the unions to get agreement on the teachers’ respective collective agreements.
Speakers at the Warkworth rally, who were constantly interrupted by motorists blasting their horns in support, talked about the chronic underfunding of schools, which was impacting the achievement of tamariki.
Snells Beach associate principal Trent Morley said teachers had had a “guts full”.
“We’ve got teachers with 25 to 30 years’ experience walking out the door because they are exhausted and feel undervalued,” he said.
The common themes raised at the rally included the pressures brought on by ever increasing class sizes and the challenges of teaching students with learning and behavioural needs.
The teachers said they wanted a deal that would provide better pay rates and conditions to help schools hang on to skilled and experienced teachers, entice ex-teachers back into the classroom and inspire the next generation to join the profession.
Northern PPTA executive member Isabel Rangiwananga, from Mahurangi College, said young people’s right to a quality education was being undermined by not having enough pastoral care staff in schools to look out for those akonga who were struggling with mental health or
societal issues.
“It’s undermined by the excessive demands on our time and lack of controls on our workloads,” she said.
“Our collective agreement claims are based on our vision for education. Teaching must be seen as a first choice career that can last a lifetime.”
She criticised the government for its lack of urgency in resolving the teachers’ dispute.
“In four months’ time, every member will revert to an individual agreement, with the risks that entails.
“Our wages, which have not increased since July 2021, continue to decline both in real value and relative to many alternative occupations.”
One of the march organisers, Russell Stirling, from Mahurangi College, said he was delighted with the large and colourful turnout.
“The speakers made important points for their respective areas of interest,” he said.
Most schools across the district were closed due to the strike action.
