Source: Radio New Zealand
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche. (File photo) VNP/Louis Collins
The Public Service Commissioner says there’s nothing wrong in offering pay rises to non-unionised teachers, despite it drawing fire and court action from a union.
NZEI, the primary teachers union, was filing urgent legal action after the government announced it was offering pay rises to teachers on individual employment agreements.
School boards could now offer individual agreements of a 2.5 percent rise from March 20, and a further 2.1 percent next January.
The NZEI said it was an attack on a strong collective decision by the majority of teachers to keep fighting.
The Council of Trade Unions further called the move an outright attack on tens of thousands of teachers.
“May be unusual, that doesn’t make it wrong,” public service boss Brian Roche told Morning Report.
He argued pay talks with the union had stalled “for some time”.
“This is the last union, I respect the fact that they have to make a decision at some point, they’ve chosen not to at this point,” he said.
“Why should non-unionised workforce be disadvantaged? I don’t think that’s fair, and I don’t think it’s equitable.”
Roche said he thought it was best non-unionised staff were given a pay offer while talks were ongoing with the union.
The deal was essentially the same as one the union had rejected, he said.
“Why would we have non-unionised workers basically caught in the middle of something they’re not involved in?”.
Asked if the deal for non-union teachers was legal, Roche said “of course it’s legal” and offers were able to go to the two groups at once.
“Nothing has changed with respect to our commitment to keep negotiating and bargaining with the unionised movement,” he said.
“You know, they’ve got a job to do, I have a job to do, I have to ensure best value for money for taxpayers, I remain committed to that.”
The Council of Trade Unions said it was supporting the NZEI in its stance and that Sir Brian had overstepped the mark.
“It is totally unacceptable that the Public Service Commissioner is attempting to turn teachers against each other and undermine solidarity across the sector” it said.
The NZEI said its legal action would ask for the commissioner to meet and discuss the proposal with the union first.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
