So the rolling teachers' strikes begin. The largest mass industrial action that has been seen in a long time. And the question remains whether this will increase or decrease support for their cause.

And this is the risk. This morning, Chris Hipkins, like a grumpy parent, expressed his “disappointment” with teachers to anyone willing to hear him. He repeatedly pointed out that his offer of $750 million was the best he can do right now. He priced the teachers' demands at $2.5 billion. He claimed over and over that the teachers' union has not negotiated or changed its terms at any point in the process and he invited them to take the $750 million and come up with a plan that will satisfy them. But no.

All this is designed to reduce the public’s support. As frazzled parents struggle to care for strike stranded children, the Minister’s last hope is that the unions buckle knowing that they’re losing the moral high ground.

It’s a funny old situation because I very rarely hear anyone saying the teachers are not deserving of more. And their case is good.

In the weekend, I was forwarded a social media post from a Fielding based principal. She looked at the offer and pointed out how the public perception was at odds with the reality. How the bonus learning support funding announced recently was not nearly as good as it looks on the surface. How comparing teachers and police officers and nurses was a fallacy.

She pointed out that a teacher who is joining the profession after spending 4 years at university - will receive an increase of around $19 per week from this offer straight away. While a teacher who has been teaching for over 10 years - and has a full degree - will receive around $27 a week extra. The so-called big money doesn’t come until 2020.

And then she explained how a teachers job is more than just a 40 hour week and a rate of pay. She wrote this.

“Today I have a teacher working the full day at school putting on a cooking show. I have another teacher spending the whole weekend in Wellington taking students to a sporting challenge. I have teachers replying to messages from their personal cell phones, arranging meetings after hours, and spending their evenings at discos, meetings and cultural events. I have teachers arriving at school at 6am to meet students for events, and the list goes on and on. So reports of 9-3, with 12 weeks holiday are simply ridiculous. My teachers work huge hours, and give up time with their own families. I know from all the emails and documents I receive from my staff well into the evenings and weekends - that they continue to work long hours at home.”

And it’s all true and to teachers, I say thank you. The respect we all have for you is because you realise you have a calling and a social responsibility and that you go many extra miles.

But I’m not hopeful that anything will change. This is a problem caused through 10 to 15 years of neglect from both the employers and a lack of advocacy by the unions.

 

It is not solvable in one pay claim.