Teachers accept mediation about pay request

A strike threatened by primary school teachers could be avoided after the two parties to the wage dispute agreed to begin a mediation today.

Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education, Ellen MacGregor-Reid, said: enter into mediation today with the NZ Educational Institute, which has called for a 16 percent salary increase over two years.

The Ministry had proposed to increase wages, in the majority of cases, between 2.2 and 2.6 per cent per year for three years.

"Both parties want to explore every possible avenue to reach an agreement," said MacGregor-Reid.

"We value the work of directors and teachers and the progress of these negotiations is a priority. President Lynda Stuart said the union has agreed to mediate "in an effort to explore all avenues."

"Negotiations are under way and we are entering mediation in good faith", she said. with a ballot on a full day strike on August 15, which ends today at 6 pm. Any results of the mediation will be returned to NZEI members for review.

Teachers have already voted for a two-hour strike on August 15, but vote for the extension of the strike to a full day.