Half of the teachers of a south Auckland school about to leave

About half of the teachers at a south Auckland school are about to resign if better salaries are not negotiated soon.

27,000 primary school teachers and principals across the country will leave for half a day Strike, the first primary school teachers' strike since 1994, follows two weeks of meetings held by the union , NZEI, and to a vote on the acceptance of a salary offer on the part of the Ministry of Education or strike.

The Ministry of Education has proposed to increase wages, in the majority of cases, from 2.2 to 2.6 percent per year for three years. The offer was far from the 16 percent increase that teachers deemed necessary to retain and recruit staff

Adam Tamariki is in his fourth year of teaching at school Roscommon of Manurewa.

"I'm 32 years old and The woman is 27 years old and we really want to have a family, but that's definitely outstanding right now.

He is part of the thirty or so decile school teachers.

Tamariki thinks half of them may leave the profession if more salary is not negotiated.

"Probably 98% of them are unionized, I think there are only a few who are passionate about what's happening in the news, and ready"

About the half of a school's decile teachers are between 25 and 35, he says.

29-year-old Lorrine Afoa is in her third year of teaching. [19659002] "It would be nice to d & # 39; have my own family and go on maternity leave and be happy to come back. "

Terry Televave says the times He's tough and while he loves work, his family is fighting.

"I'm renting right now because I said I can not afford to own a house. I have three children and one man is … I have the impression that we live paycheck. "

He says he's gone with only $ 300 after paying the rent and the bills each week.

Terry thinks the teaching has lost" I think a lot of people think that we work from 9 to 3 o'clock and that is just about everything. But it's a professional job, we have degrees, we go to the university to get these jobs so that's something we think we should be paid for accordingly. "

Adam, Terry and Lorrine are about to change careers they do not get better wages soon.

" I know you do not stay to teach for money, but the cost of life is very expensive and does not weigh, "says Lorrine.I'll break my heart because, as I've said from the beginning, I love this job, I want to give back to my community and to that area in which I was raised, "says Terry.

Adam says that if it's already hurting, I"

The Department of Education is disappointed that the members NZEI dismissed latest offer of pay and discuss strike amid bargaining.

A spokesman says bargaining with the union will continue in the coming weeks.