Ryan Bridge: Teachers deserve a pay rise

I can't see what the problem is with teachers getting a pay rise.

If that sounds weird, it's because it's the union complaining.

The union that's always saying teachers are undervalued and underpaid doesn't want the pay rise. They're actually going to take legal action to try and stop it happening.

It's upside down day today folks.

The primary teachers' union is dragging out their collective bargaining (9 months and counting). So in the meantime, old mate Sir Brian Roche is offering non-union teachers employed on individual agreements up to an extra 4.7% within 12 months.

2.5% from 20 March plus 2.1% percent next year. That's, according to the Government, an extra $50-$76 a week per teacher. A third of primary teachers —about 10 thousand— aren't part of the union.

Now the union doesn't like this because, they say, it's the Government trying to break their unity.

But the reality is, they're not united. A third of them don't pay subs to the union so therefore can go down the individual route with school boards.

Last time I checked, they were adults. It's the kids they're teaching.

And the union members, by the way, can accept this offer too, but chose not to.

To your average Kiwi, a union trying to stop non-union teachers from getting a pay rise during a cost of living crisis by bringing in their expensive lawyers looks messy, controlling, and unfair.

Throw into the mix other teachers unions' demands for updates on the war in Gaza and the fact student achievement was in the bin, and they start look beyond out of touch with the rest of us.

Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.