ISEA

PPTA Strike Action is Likely

The PPTA is giving little away on whether strike action is likely over stalled pay talks.

The Post Primary Teachers Association has finished a round of stop-work meetings for members after rejecting the Ministry of Education's offer which included a 1.5% increase this year, with a further 1% next year.

The PPTA wants a 4% pay rise.

PPTA president Kate Gainsford says they would like to see progress at the table rather than strike action and the result of the vote will be announced on Monday.

PPTA to vote on strike action

Teachers to vote on industrial action

Secondary teachers throughout the country will attend paid meetings on August 24 and 25 to decide the next step in the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) collective agreement campaign.

Negotiations broke down last week after members of the association overwhelmingly rejected the Ministry of Education's offer.

"The ministry continues to undervalue teachers and shows little indication it wishes to achieve a ratifiable settlement," PPTA president Kate Gainsford said today.

Members would now be asked to consider a range of options, including industrial action, she said. "We are at a critical stage in our campaign to protect public education and get a fair and reasonable deal for teachers and students."

Fairness rallies the start � more to come

Fairness rallies the start � more to come ISEA members and staff joined several thousand other workers at rallies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today in protest at the Government�s proposed employment law changes. The rallies, organised by the CTU brought together workers from every sector of the economy in a celebration of Fairness at Work.

CTU President Helen Kelly said: �This was the start of our campaign against these unfair law changes. Today we are announcing a national day of action on Wednesday 20 October.�

Today�s rallies were addressed by workers, some of whom had been sacked unfairly under the 90 day law for small businesses which the Government wants to extend to all workplaces. There were also speeches from church leaders and officials, as well as musical performances, dance and other entertainment.

Click here for Photos of the Rally.

Protect Your Conditions

Make a Submission.

Stop the attacks on your working conditions.

Do You Know that the new changes are designed to:

1. Stop ISEA meeting with you at your school?

2. Allow the employer to undermine our discussions on your collective negotiations by communicating directly with you instead of through your association?

3. All schools could be subject to 90 days employment trial and potential dismissal for newly employed teachers and support staff for no reason, without legal recourse?

4. Employers no longer have to strictly follow the proper process when disciplining teachers and support staff?

Click here to make a submission.

Click here for a copy of the new Employment Relations Bill.

Employment law changes unfair and unnecessary

CTU media release

16 August 2010

Employment law changes unfair and unnecessary

The CTU says that changes to the Employment Relations Act and Holidays Act introduced to Parliament today are unfair and unnecessary.

Helen Kelly, CTU President, says: �This legislation is all about taking away rights from New Zealand wage and salary earners. For instance, it removes the automatic right of appeal against unfair dismissal in the first 90 days and weakens appeal procedures and remedies right throughout a worker�s employment.�

�How can Kate Wilkinson call this employment law change �fair� when it specifically legislates for unfair dismissal with no right of appeal?�

Helen Kelly said that other issues include requiring a doctor�s certificate without reasonable grounds for absences of one day for sick or domestic leave, and restrictions on access to advice.

�The CTU has launched a Fairness at Work Campaign which is developing momentum. We have released two stories so far from workers unfairly dismissed from small enterprises and we are holding rallies this weekend in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.� here

Click here for a copy of the new Bill.

Urgent: Hold this date:

Urgent: Hold this date: Saturday 21 August - Fairness at Work - National Day Of Action.

More details will be available later this week.

Click here for the CTU Organising Centre

We Didn't Ask For

We Didn't Ask For:-

The 90 Day Fire-at-Will Law
The Government is going to remove everyone�s right to appeal against unfair dismissal in the first 90 days of a new job, not just those in small companies

Our ACC entitlements to be cut
The Government is gutting ACC, cutting back pay-outs, forcing workers back to work before they are better, denying treatment with any excuse they can find, and letting private insurers and case managers in which will cost more and pay out less

Our every sick day off to be queried
Employers will be able to ask for a medical certificate for even one day off sick � even if your kids are sick!

Our right to regular breaks to be rolled back
The Government has repealed the law on lunch and tea breaks which had only just come in � now you have to negotiate them with your boss again

Our access to our employees' association in our workplace to be cut
Workers will need their boss�s agreement to have their representatives come to the workplace. National will let employers decide when members can see their workers' associations at work. Employers will use this to try to stop workers organising. Workers have international human rights to be in a workers� association

Our holiday to be sold off
Now the Government wants to let you �sell� your 4th week�s leave back to your employer for cash � opening the door to taking it away altogether

Click here for the CTU flyer that you can print-off and distribute.

Fairness at Work Campaign Launched

CTU media release

21 July 2010

Fairness at Work Campaign Launched

New Zealand workers organisations met tonight to agree a comprehensive campaign to protect workers' rights to be treated fairly in their workplace.

The associations representing 360,000 working people agreed unanimously to put all effort and resources into a campaign to promote fairness at work and to reject the Government's plans to amongst other things remove appeal rights for unfair dismissal, force workers to produce sick certificates for every day they are unwell and stop workers being able to access their representative's advice and support at work.

CTU President Helen Kelly said: "The campaign will include industrial action, demonstrations, public meetings and community activities. Workers have been ringing me expressing concern that these changes will be bad for them and their families and are unnecessary, disrespectful and unfair."

"In the coming months we will be out speaking to New Zealanders throughout the country about fairness at work and giving them a chance to have their say on any proposed legislation."

ENDS

Public-private school partnerships

Public-private school partnerships get green light

Tenders for the first public private partnership schools could be called as early as next year, it was announced today.

Education Minister Anne Tolley and Infrastructure Minister Bill English said the private sector would be responsible for financing, building, managing and maintaining the school property for a set term, while the Government would still own the land and the board of trustees would remain in charge of its governance and day to day running.

Mr English said the Government believed it could result in schools being built cheaper than if the State did it. Having the private sector build schools could also offer educational benefits, he claimed.

Click here for the Stuff article by By Tracey Watkins.

Remits for the Thirty Seventh AGM of ISEA 2010

Remits for the Thirty Seventh AGM of ISEA 2010 The motions, on this page, have been circulated and will be moved at the AGM of ISEA at 3 p.m. Saturday 7 August 2010 at the Senior Campus, Dilworth School, Auckland.

Members' access only.