The teachers walked around the Octagon chanting before stopping to listen to speakers. who included PPTA Otago regional chairperson Amanda Ellwood.
‘‘We are reaching a stalemate with the Government.
‘‘Minimum wage is soon to meet the starting salary for a graduate secondary school teacher . . . this is unacceptable,’’ she said.
Nationally the 50,000 members of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) and the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI) are today striking after rejecting the Government’s collective agreement offers.
Secondary school teachers, represented by the PPTA, last month agreed to strike after negotiations failed to progress, and last week primary, kindergarten and area school teachers, along with primary and area school principals, voted to join them.
