7 Jun 2019

Secondary school teachers cancel next week's strike

10:45 am on 7 June 2019

The secondary school teachers union has cancelled next week's partial strike because of progress in talks with the government.

Chris Hipkins at Parliament 21 may 2019

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement there was constructive progress in Thursday's talks. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas

A full-day meeting between teacher unions and the government yesterday was aimed at finding a solution to deadlocked collective agreement negotiations for both primary and secondary teachers.

The Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) is refusing to make any comment other than to say it has cancelled next Tuesday's planned strike affecting Year 10 students.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has said in a statement there was constructive progress in yesterday's talks.

Mr Hipkins called the meeting following last week's first-ever nationwide joint strike by is nearly 50,000 primary teachers and principals and secondary teachers.

Union members started rolling secondary school industrial action this week, refusing to teach Year 9 students on Tuesday.

They were due to continue each Tuesday for four weeks affecting a different year group each week.