Reports that the Ministry of Education could take months to process pay rises as a result of the settlement is unacceptable, National’s Education spokesperson Nikki Kaye says.
“While it is good that Education Minister Chris Hipkins has said he will be ‘following up’ on the issue, there needs to be more urgency in sorting this out. The Minister should give an update on what is hopefully a revised timeline within the next 48 hours.
“I agree with NZEI that the Ministry of Education should be ensuring all resources are put into making this happen given there will be a number of teachers that will have been relying on these funds coming through.
“I have had messages from teachers frustrated and concerned about the delays. Some teachers are questioning the double standard where it took two pay cycles for the education payroll to deduct funds for strike action, but five pay cycles and close to three months since the actual date of settlement to ensure teachers are paid properly.
“The Government has prolonged negotiations for over a year for secondary teachers. The Ministry and Education Payroll had a long time to prepare for this.
“The reality is there are tens of thousands of teachers with bills to pay and mortgages that need the Minister and agencies to deal with this matter urgently.”
