Tuesday, August 24, 2004

non-union PPTA members still to get more take-home pay than union members

Teachers are to get a pay increase of up to up to 13 percent - and those who are PSA members are to get an extra bonus of $500.00 if they accept the deal - which is likely. It’s a three-year deal this time, normally the deal is negotiated every two years.

NZ Pundant says the bonus payment - which will cost the taxpayer $7.5 million - is bribery He's wrong.

The fact of the matter is that the unions do have bargaining power - and groups like the PPTA have more bargaining power than groups in the public service, for example, who get about 1-3 percent pay increases, if they are lucky. Some just get a $500.00 one off payment and no pay increase. That’s because the PSA are active for people who kick up a stink in the governments nostrils- as the PPTA is liable to do. If you are a low paid government worker, the union is more likely to assist you when you get into strife with the boss, than to get a substantial increase via employment bargaining.

Interesting, though, is that teachers who are not union members are getting a better deal. If the deal is accepted, as is likely, they get the pay increase, say goodbye to the bonus, but as they don't pay union fees they get more take home pay. Union fees for over a three- year period are way more than $500.00.

The real issue is that non-union members are getting the pay same as union members, and the bonus doesn't cover the union fees.

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