Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche today urged the secondary school teachers’ union (PPTA) to put children’s learning first and return to the table in good faith.
Sir Brian was responding to the PPTA’s statement that secondary teachers will go on strike next Wednesday, 20 August after only six days of bargaining and a fair and reasonable offer being made.
A secondary school teacher with 10 years of experience can currently earn up to $147,000, including allowances. The average income for secondary teachers is now $100,000, up from around $93,000 three years ago.
“The offer the union has rejected represented a 3% increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of between 4.5% and 7.5%,” said Sir Brian.
“For many secondary teachers, this equates to pay increases between $2,500 and $7,000 a year, with regular annual progression included. Over three years it means increases of $1,850 to $3,123 for most teachers, in addition to $10,000 to $17,000 with annual pay progression.
“I urge the union to reconsider what I believe is a fair offer, on top of the significant pay advances (14.5%) secondary teachers have received over the last three years. This is not the time for grandstanding or escalation – it’s a time for constructive dialogue.
“Everyone wants better outcomes for teachers, but we also have to live within our means – we don’t have a bottomless pot of taxpayers’ money. I urge the union to put children’s learning first and return to the table in good faith.”
