01:01:10
Fair Deal Campaign emails of support
IHC calls for increased recognition of the valuable role of support staff in schools. We know that disabled children and young people’s experience at school is critically linked to quality support. We also know that support staff are often poorly paid and poorly valued. IHC wants a government commitment to create a strong career pathway which is underpinned by professional development opportunities and increased pay and working conditions. Valuing school support staff is also about valuing the lives of disabled children and young people.
Trish Grant IHC
I wanted to let you all know how effective your demonstration and leafleting was on Friday in Hamilton on the issue of the pay equity investigations that have been scrapped by the National Government. When Human Rights Commissioner, Ros Noonan spoke to the symposium, she mentioned your leaflet three times during her speech and said how good it was to see the issue being publicised and discussed. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she made mention of it as she moves around the country. The other impact was that I noticed that Pansy Wong got a very "luke-warm" reception after she spoke at the symposium. Women clapped politely but quietly. I believe this was because of the work NZEI had done in informing them and because Ms Wong made the mistake of reading out her speech, saying that although some progress had been made on reducing the gender pay gap, she wanted to "do more." What a cheek! International Womens Day Symposium attendee (6 March 2009).
I would like to register my support for Fair Pay for Teacher Aides.
Kind regards
Antonia Hannah
New Government, new rules? All Support Staff throughout the country do a wonderful job and deserve fair pay for a fair days work. How many other jobs in education can you expect get paid less than $1.00 more than the minimum wage? I support our union with their Fair Pay campaign.
Linda
I fully support fair pay for support staff. It is time wwere recognised for the work we do also the extra work we do. A lot of us have qualifications that are overlooked. Often Support Staff are expected to be "Jack of all Trades" and paid peanuts. Cleaners and caretakers got a payrise expected to be paid out July 09 support staff should get the same. This time of the year Support Staff are waiting on tender hooks waiting for their letter to say what their hours are to be for 2009 will their hours be cut. Will they even have a job. Insecurity is a biggy yet they are given professional work to do often with reduced hrs but expected to fit in same amount of work. Support Staff need to band together, work together as we are stronger together , let the government know WE want Fair Pay we are serious come on support staff campaign hard!!!.
Chic
Wanganui
Support Staff deserve a fair pay because many are not getting paid what they are worth either because little note is taken of any qualifications or no note is taken of the fact that many are supervising students on a daily basis by themselves. Teachers expect and get credit for the number of students they supervise but this is often overlooked when it comes to Support Staff. Librarians especially can be supervising anything from 20 to 50 students at interval and lunchtimes, with no teacher in sight. And that's not counting before and after school or senior students using the library as a study area during class time.
Maree Pavletich
Library Manager
I would like to register my full support for an increase in the pay that school support staff currently receive. I strongly believe that their pay should be increased to a fair and reasonable amount as I don't believe it is as present and also that it should be funded by the government.
Cara Shields
Teacher at Mangawhai Beach School
I support the campaign for Fair Pay, Support staff are essential to the education of our children and deserve to be paid accordingly.
Ron Graham
Mangawhai Beach School
Kia Ora ........ Totally in support of all support staff in Aotearoa.....they all do a marvellous job in every thing they do.
KIA KAHA!!!!!!!!!!
Nga Kaimahi o Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepou
I do support fair pay.
Thanks
Charlene
I Shelleemae Henwood support the support staff campaign.
Thanks
Shelleemae
I totally agree we support staff should get a better deal and that is extra pay or should I say a meaningful payrise.
Anne
I support the campaign for support staff wages. Our work with children and their learning is as important as cleaning the buildings and toilets that those same children use.
Sheryle
Well done to Support Staff - most valuable staff members in our schools, Good luck with your campaign
Karen
It is time for the Government to act. NZEI has been very patient over many years on the issue of paying support staff a fair wage. Support Staff work closely alongside teachers to assist in the delivery of quality learning opportunities for the children of New Zealand. As a Principal I know that my school could not deliver what our children need without the fine work provided by all of our Support Staff. These important staff members deserve at least the same level of salary as that received by caretakers and cleaners. New funds need to be made available by the Government to make this happen. I totally support the ongoing campaign to make sure there is fair pay in our worksite. Speaking on behalf of the NZEI Principals’ Council, I also express its total support for this campaign and the actions we, NZEI, are taking to lead to a fair outcome for our Support Staff.
Tony Hamilton
Principal
Maungaturoto Primary School
Chairperson
NZEI Principals’ Council
I support fair pay for the invaluable work Support Staff do.
Sincerely
Nigel
Teacher
Good luck and fingers crossed for the fair pay award. Your hard work is acknowledged and appreciated.
Sherry
It is great that the government is proposing to put new money into schools for cleaners and caretakers to increase their pay and conditions. However it appears from my information that School Support Staff are being missed out. As a retired teacher, and teacher in charge of special needs, I am acutely aware of the vital role support staff play in the classroom. In my teaching career of 28 years, the role of support staff has significantly changed such that they are now have an essential role in the education of children. IN fact many children would not be able to attend school without a teacher aide. It is often difficult to recruit and retain quality support staff, especially as in many cases (particularly ORRS employed teacher aides) their work hours can be lost or reduced if the child makes progress, or leaves the school, or has hours reduced as the budget is reduced. Not a career choice for long term employment. In fact a number of applicants I interviewed werent interested in a position with the prospect of reducing hours or lack of longer term prospects. It is vital in my opinion for the welfare of students and schools that pay and conditions for support staff be
increased and improved, and that new money is given to schools for increase in support staff to at least match the proposed cleaners and caretakers. I look forward to having a positive response.
Regards
Tony Naughton
Honary NZEI Member
We support your campaign for fair pay.
Louise and Rachel
Hurupaki School
20 Dip Road, Kamo, Whangarei
(This letter was abridged)
I am sitting here thinking about how support staff get paid from the operations grant, the same area that pays for the maintenance of the school and of course....loo paper. It occurs to me that loo paper costs about $9.00 for a 12 pkt which is close to one hour of work from our aides!! Then I think about how if i want to have a combo at Macdonalds I only need to work for 15 minutes but a support worker would have to work for almost an hour!! I am a teacher at a large South Auckland Intermediate and I am deeply concerned about the nagative impact the restrictions of the operations grants are providing for our
Support staff. As electricity bills rise the operation grant stay the same - electricity bills have to be paid, maintenance has to be done so what does the school have to cut...support staff. Who cares?? We do!!
My school has actively written and faxed/sent individual letters to MP,s. I have attended education election meetings, stood outside school with banners and held staff meetings We have planned a leaflet drop and will do whatever it takes.
The message is clear!! Targeted funding. Fair pay.
To the Government... Is there anybody out there??
Sharlene
I feel compelled to write to you to let you know what Support Staff mean for myself as a senior teacher.
I want to tell you just how much
Support staff mean to me.
I really value all they do
And want you to agree!
I've 34 great big year 8s
They're super kids - they're grand.
But all the same it's real hard work -
I need a helping hand.
You want me to be cutting edge
Inside this little space?
With groups and interactive stuff
And working at full pace?
I do not stand and teach out front
And lecture to the fold,
Sure, that would help with discipline
But that's a style of old.
Behold! The new curriculum!
We should not be afraid,
But I need help, it's so full-on;
I need my teacher-aide!
She takes small groups, she hears kids read,
She knows the ropes all right.
She works with kids who've special needs
And helps them see the light.
She finds resources, cuts up card
And enters data too,
I know I can rely on her
To help with all I do.
So she is not a luxury,
We need her at our school,
We shouldn't have to fund her
From the toilet paper pool.
I think the government should say:
"Let's give the schools a shock.
We'll fully fund all teacher aides."
Support workers - you rock!
Alison Kroon
Senior Teacher
Papatoetoe Intermediate School
"Stronger Together for Fair Pay", absolutely yes! We may be an invisible army now, however if we all work in supporting this Campaign together, we will be very visible. This campaign is not just about improving Support Staff pay rates, but also making sure that schools will have the extra tagged funding to cover those increases. We need the Government to address the low pay issues that thousands ofSchool Support Staff have. Give School Support Staff a Fair Go!
Monique
Taranaki
I find it difficult to believe that in our society, where $12.00 per hour is the minimum wage, that we have people working with our most vulnerable youth working for $12.69 per hour. Is that what we think of education in New Zealand? To ensure that all our students are to be able to achieve in education we need to have the Support people there to assist them. This part of the workforce are our Support Staff in Schools, the teacher aides, learning assistants, nurses, librarians, office staff, and the list goes on. Without these people our schools would find it very difficult to run every day. The powers that be must surely understand the these people are a necessary part of the running of a school, and should be paid accordingly. With the median hourly rate at $18.00 per hour what does that say for the meager $12.69 or even the top of the grade at $13.53. I congratulate NZEI for taking a stand and making The Government sit up and listen to the voice of over half of all Support Staff in New Zealand. As a Mother of a child with a learning difficulty I saw first hand how hard these educators work every day for the children under their care. It is not a job about money but about empathy for the children. These people deserve a fair deal and the slogan Stronger Together for Fair Pay says it all.
Linda Daniels
Go Support Staff, please win our campaign for fair pay. All the best.
Lisa Baker
Oruaiti School
23:12:09
MR 2009/69 - Educators wish list for xmas
The best Christmas present the Government could give New Zealand children would be making education the country’s top investment priority, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.
Investment in public education is what makes the difference in giving people skills and raising economic value, NZEI President Frances Nelson says. “In an economic crisis, it’s even more important that education is made the backbone of New Zealand’s recovery programme.”
Media Release 2009/69 (0.1mb pdf)
