‘$140k? LOL’: Striking teachers rubbish minister’s figures, further action likely

Wednesday, 20 August 2025

Teachers are set to continue industrial action, with unions and the Government at loggerheads over stalled pay negotiations.

The state of the relationship between teachers and the Government was made clear on Wednesday, as thousands of teachers marched in the streets over what they labelled a “grim” and “shameful” offer.

While ministers have called on the union to “return to negotiations”, those ministers didn’t go out to meet the teachers who showed up outside Parliament - and outside their electorate offices - during the first planned strike.

Outside Education Minister Erica Stanford’s office in Auckland, teacher Aaron Dick said the Government should have been able to offer more than a 1% pay rise. He said the Government had known these negotiations were coming up for three years, yet had failed to come to the table with a credible offer.

“Why on Earth have we given away $3 billion to landlords, paid $640 million for ships we’re not going to get given, and what is it, $150, $300 million to tobacco companies and tax cuts,” he said.

Striking teachers arrived at Parliament during a cold day in Wellington.

Dick said the Government knew “all of that money” was going to be needed for teacher negotiations.

Among the banners carried by teachers were signs saying “140k? LOL” and “hey Joodi, $147,000? Yes please!”. That referenced Public Service Minister Judith Collins’ incorrect claim that senior teachers were being paid $147,000 per year. On Tuesday, she admitted she got that wrong and apologised.

Judith Collins has admitted she overstated teacher salaries by tens of thousands of dollars, sparking accusations of gaslighting as secondary teachers prepare for a nationwide strike.

But Collins said her point was still valid. She told Stuff: “None of this takes away from the fact these are good salaries with 12 weeks annual leave. Very generous leave provisions. Actually, kids need their education.”

The Post Primary Teachers’ Association union (PPTA) said members had no choice but to walk off the job after the Government offered a 1% pay rise. It noted that was well below annual inflation.

President Chris Abercrombie told Stuff the decision to strike was not taken lightly. He said teachers had negotiated in good faith, but the Government had not.

Teachers protest outsider the electorate office of Education Minister Erica Stanford in Browns Bay.

“Last year we provided a briefing on unresolved issues from our previous negotiations to the Ministry for Education and then the minister,” he said.

“We also followed up with them about the arbitration recommendation of having an independent entity involved in bargaining. There was no engagement on these from the ministry or the minister.”

Minister pushes for return to talks

Schools across Aotearoa are closed while thousands of teachers take strike action over pay and conditions.

Stanford had urged the union to cancel the action.

“My message to the PPTA is please get back to the bargaining table, cancel the strike, come back in good faith, put on the table what are the things you want to negotiate on and we will negotiate in good faith,” Stanford said.

She did not go to meet the teachers protesting outside Parliament on Tuesday. However, Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime, and Green co-leaders Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson did join the protest.

Prime said the Government was “gaslighting” teachers with its comments about their pay, and with claims that the union had walked away from negotiations. She said nothing was stopping Public Service Commissioner Brian Roche from delivering a new offer to the union, which could have prevented this strike.

Her comments echoed Abercrombie, who insisted he had been negotiating “in good faith”.

Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick joined striking teachers outside Parliament.

“We entered the negotiations and explained the issues at the heart of our claims: Every student needs a specialist teacher in every subject. And they need to have issues that they are struggling with – mental health, emotional and societal – dealt with properly so they can engage with learning,” he said.

Rostering students home

Abercrombie told RNZ on Wednesday morning that the plan after the strike was to roster students home on the last week of term from September 15.

“So that means certain year levels won’t be taught on certain days.”

Secondary teachers can be seen striking in Hutt Valley on Wednesday morning.

Abercrombie was hopeful that wouldn’t happen, and they could give a settlement to their members.

What about private schools?

Parents of students at private secondary schools would have noticed business as usual at school drop off and pick up.

Teachers of private schools have a separate union called Independent Schools Education Association (ISEA) that they can join.

Private schools charge their own fees and aren’t required to follow the Government’s national education guidelines.