World teachers day and a collective agreement update (P2P - 2009/14e)

Kia Ora and welcome back to school for the final term of 2009.

Join in World Teachers Day October 30

Imagine the power of thousands – or tens of thousands – of students, teachers, children and parents putting their “Hands Up for Learning” at the same time!

World Teachers Day on Friday October 30th gives us the opportunity to recognise teachers who ‘lead from the front’ in the teaching and learning process.  We already recognise others on our staff with events such as Support Staff Day, so this is a chance to say to teachers “you are the ones who make the most difference” to children’s learning.

NZEI is asking principals – as teacher leaders - to support members in schools and ECE centres around the country in celebrations of the work our teachers do.  Our main focus is for everyone to join in a synchronised “Hands Up” at 12.30pm on World Teachers Day, Friday 30 October.  We encourage you to reach out to students and parents in your school/ECE community and beyond to your wider community and ask them to join in this event.

The theme “Hands Up for Learning!” is a call for our community to think, talk and join in activities to celebrate the power of education. It is a message about the importance of investing in education, especially in a recession. Read more about World Teachers Day.

NZEI branches will also be funding advertisements endorsed by NZEI, NZSTA, PTA, the NZ Childcare Association Te Tari Puna Ora and NZ Kindergartens in many local papers in the week of World Teachers Day. We look forward to your involvement in this day.

Update on your collective agreement negotiations

I know you’re all busy, so congratulations to the around 40% of principal members who turned up to our NZEI principal meetings last term to discuss issues for the re-negotiation of our collective agreement next year.   Breakfast meetings obviously suited many of us!

The principals’ negotiations team met over the term break to begin work on developing a draft claim from your feedback.  This draft claim will go out to reference groups of principal members in November.  Your Principal Support Officer and local Principals’ Council representative will be organising meetings, with at least one in each NZEI Area Council.

It’s going to be a tough environment for bargaining as we’ve seen from support staff negotiations.  The Government’s offer to support staff is still effectively a nil increase, so paid union meetings for support staff meetings are scheduled this month. In most places there are morning and afternoon meetings, with paid release time of two hours to cover the meeting and travel time. Please discuss with your support staff how best to ensure that they can all attend a meeting while ensuring minimal disruption to schools.