Striking teachers march through Wellington on May 10, 2023. File photo Photo: RNZ / John Gerritsen
Secondary teachers have rejected the Ministry of Education's latest pay offer and will ramp up industrial action from next week.
The Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) says its members voted overwhelmingly against the ministry's offer of three pay rises over two years plus a $4500 payment.
"Members have given national executive and the negotiating teams a clear mandate to seek a better offer that meets the pressing needs of secondary education and the secondary teaching profession," PPTA Te Wehengarua acting president Chris Abercrombie said in a statement.
Primary teachers settled their contract dispute this week, but the union for secondary teachers had been recommending its members reject their offer.
The offer accepted by primary teachers belonging to the Educational Institute was almost identical to what PPTA members rejected.
Secondary teacher union members also voted to continue industrial action.
For the next three weeks - the rest of Term 2 - PPTA members will not teach two year levels each day from Monday to Thursday, nor attend meetings or respond to emails outside regular school hours.
Union members who are not part of NCEA pilots will not do work related to NCEA changes, including engagement with the Ministry of Education and the NZ Qualifications Authority.
PPTA members will also not take part in any of their schools' extracurricular activities on Wednesday 21 June.
Abercrombie said he hoped the settlement of the primary teachers' collective agreement would enable the government to focus more sharply on the needs of secondary education and find a solution to the impasse.
The Ministry of Education said it had already organised dates for further facilitated bargaining next week, a spokesperson said.
The ministry said secondary teachers should not refuse to teach students while that bargaining was under way.
It was disappointed the offer had been rejected and industrial action would not help reach settlement.
The offer balanced the need to attract and retain new teachers, provide a fair increase for experienced teachers, and improve other conditions, the ministry said.