 About 1000 teachers have turned out for the strikes at Tauranga Race Course today for unprecedented strike action. The strike has been coined as the "biggest strike this country has ever seen" as this is the first time in history both PPTA and NZEI union members will strike as one. Despite the grey skies threatening to rain, morale was strong. Fairhaven School principal Paul Hunt took to the mic, leading the crowd in chants. Hunt chanted, with the crowd following, "what do we want? Teachers. When do we want it? Now." Aretha Franklin's classic anthem Respect rang over the speakers as the crowd waited to embark on the march. Papamoa College teacher Natalie Jump was among those gathered in the crowd.  The 28-year-old was in her second year of teaching and she said it wasn't good enough for teachers to not recieve necessary support or pay. "The strikes are important for the future generation of teachers." Speeches are now taking place, with the crowd cheering and ringing cow bells after each speaker finishes a statement.  Parent Erika Harvey spoke of her gratitude to teachers for caring for her young daughter who had special learning needs. Liam Rutherford was a prime negotiator with the Ministry of Education. He said it was fantastic to be here today, and to see the people who have come out today. He said it was great to see the community supporting teachers when they really needed it. He said striking was not an easy decision and when workers went without their wages on strike it was a sign that the Government had really "stuffed up". "Let's be clear - the situation we are in is serious and we need to be prepared to be in it for the long haul," said Rutherford. He didn't rule out further strike action. People in car parks in Greerton have cheered on the marching strikers while people are tooting their horns from passing cars. The strikers are marching down Cameron Rd and have passed the RSA chanting that Jacinda should "do them right" and "Chris Hipkins has got to go". Protesters made their way down Cameron Rd, towards Tauranga Girls' College, where end of the march will be marked be a karakia. Traffic in the southbound lane of Cameron Rd was virtually gridlocked for about 4km. In the Bay of Plenty, 148 schools have shut their doors - the second highest number in the country. The industrial action is expected to be the largest strike by teachers and first ever combined teachers' strike, with 50,000 nationwide expected on the picket lines. NZEI Tauranga representative Andrea Andresen said the Government had left the teachers no other choice than to strike. She said it would be the "biggest strike this country has ever seen".  Pre-march activities at the Tauranga racecourse took place from 11.30am, with balloon blowing and messages written to drop off at MPs' offices. The rally opened with three speakers including NZEI Te Riu Roa vice president Liam Rutherford and PPTA national executive Tania Rae from 12pm. Tauranga City Council advised motorists to avoid the area during this time or use Takitimu Drive or Fraser St as preferred alternative routes. Motorists who chose to travel along Cameron Rd would have to remain behind the head vehicle following the march or detour via a side road or turn around.  It was expected that the northbound lanes of Cameron Rd, between Chadwick Rd to 22nd Ave would be closed for about half an hour due to the protesters walking towards the city. Southbound lanes, from Munro St to 22nd Ave will be closed for approximately 15 minutes to allow the protest march to cross in order to get to Tauranga Girls' College. The NZEI strike is about pay and workload with primary teachers wanting to double non-contact time to two hours a week, reduce class sizes and increase resource teachers and a special needs co-ordinator (Senco) in every school.  The PPTA wants an extra hour of non-classroom time, increasing that to six hours per week, as well as additional extra non-contact time for middle managers.
The Ministry of Education has offered both unions pay rises of 3 per cent a year for three years, plus an extra step at the top of salary scales that would take the total pay rise for a majority of teachers to 12.6 per cent over three years. The Government's offer is a $1.2 billion deal over four years.
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 Up to 1000 Tauranga teachers will march off the job tomorrow for the "biggest strike this country has ever seen". Primary and secondary school teachers across New Zealand voted earlier this month to strike on May 29 for better pay and work conditions. In the Bay of Plenty, 148 schools will shut their doors - the second highest number in the country. However, the Government's offer of $1.2 billion over four years is not expected to budge. Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the offer would bring teachers into the top 20 per cent of income earners. The industrial action is expected to be the largest strike by teachers and first ever combined teachers' strike, with 50,000 nationwide expected on the picket lines. About 800,000 students are expected to be affected. In Tauranga, a 2km section of Cameron Rd will close with traffic control and detours in place from around midday.  New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Tauranga representative Andrea Andresen said this would be the "biggest strike this country has ever seen". Andresen said she hoped the marches would communicate loud and clear to the Government they were serious and had a lot of support. She said interest had even been expressed by loads of parents, who were keen on getting behind the teachers.  Parent Erika Harvey said she was going to support the teachers as she believed they had one of the most difficult jobs. Harvey said it was not just about their wages, it was about equipping the schools and teachers with adequate time, training and funding to handle a variety of learning needs. Ministry of Education deputy secretary for early learning and student achievement Ellen MacGregor-Reid said striking over $1.2b in pay offers did not offer a solution but instead would cause disruption to the learning of thousands of young people. Western Bay of Plenty PPTA chairwoman Rebecca Holmes said the feeling was mixed among secondary teachers as it had been nearly a decade since their last industrial action. Holmes said they felt a sense of unity with their fellow teachers but also disappointed that they had to use their "last resort" of industrial action. She hoped they could come to a place to negotiate a "fair and equitable" deal with the Government.  The Ministry offered both unions pay rises of three per cent a year for three years, taking the total pay rise for a majority of teachers to 12.6 per cent over three years.
However, many teachers were putting more weight on the lack of release time and the heavy workload. The PPTA wants an extra hour of non-classroom time for all secondary teachers, lifting non-contact time from five hours to six hours a week. The NZEI wants two hours a week in non-contact time, plus reduced class sizes, more resource teachers and a special needs co-ordinator in every school. To address workload, the Government provided for 600 learning support coordinators, removed national standards, advanced a review of NCEA and offered additional release time in the offer. Timeline of the strike11.30am - Teachers will gather near the Tauranga racecourse for pre-march activities, including balloon blowing and message writing. 12pm - Speakers will address the crowds. 12.30pm - The march will begin on Chadwick Rd before turning on to Cameron Rd in the northbound lane. Teachers will be dropping messages off at MPs' offices on the way. 1.30/2pm - The march will wrap up as teachers reach Tauranga Girls' College.  An independent consultant is reviewing Tauranga City Council's handling of the $11.4 million Marine Precinct following years of concern from independent fishing captains. Fishing fleet owner Dan Harvey says working ships are being pushed out of Tauranga by the Marine Precinct which favours luxury yachts and added no berthage space. Larger independent fishing vessels share just five metres of truck-to-boat space which causes delays if two ships want to use the space at the same time.  "When you consider a backwater like Whangarei has 490 metres of space, Napier has 400, Gisborne has 286, and Whakatane has 80 it is ridiculous Tauranga only has 5 metres of truck-to-boat space," Harvey said. Tauranga City Council confirmed consultant Max Pedersen, who has previously identified poor management issues within Council, has been commissioned to review the Marine Precinct.  "The scope of the review is to look at any issues or opportunities for improvement," communications manager Aimee Driscoll said. Pedersen previously reviewed four council projects which were plagued with communication and consultation issues. The report concluded a poor culture was present in council with an emphasis on staff to complete tasks, rather than facilitating the best outcome for the community.  Pedersen's report followed on from a scathing MBIE report into the council's building inspection team over the handling of the Bella Vista Homes saga.
Erika Harvey has campaigned against the Marine Precinct for three years saying what was delivered was not what was promised. "All we want is what was promised to us originally," she said. "Instead things have not been built and the water's edge is being sold. That should stay in public ownership." Council documents show companies have purchased lots in the precinct that run up to the water's edge with a service lane for trucks located further inland. Other fishing captains asked for comment said the most important thing lacking from the Marine Precinct was berthage for vessels to allow catch to be offloaded but also repairs to be conducted without lifting a vessel out of the water completely. A publish date for the review is not yet known. Original Article: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112858937/another-tauranga-city-council-project-under-review |
Erika & Dan HarveyA blog about our journey through the spectrum with our daughter Piper. Enjoy and feel free to share with others. Archives
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