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Seven people have been issued trespass notices in the Waitākere Ranges for flouting track closures p…
The union, the NZ Educational Institute (NZEI), has referred three cases to the Labour Inspectorate's migrant exploitation unit and says at least 60 NZ-trained teachers are also being paid below the minimum wage. The Ministry of Education has confirmed "there are a small number of … View moreThe union, the NZ Educational Institute (NZEI), has referred three cases to the Labour Inspectorate's migrant exploitation unit and says at least 60 NZ-trained teachers are also being paid below the minimum wage. The Ministry of Education has confirmed "there are a small number of teachers who are being paid below the minimum wage" because their qualifications and experience are still being assessed to determine their correct pay rates. It told the union the day before Easter that the problem would be fixed and all affected teachers would receive back pay to their correct pay rates by May 8. But one of the affected teachers, Singapore-trained Xijuan (Regine) Hou, said she was shocked at the way teachers were treated in a developed country like New Zealand.
"I never expected New Zealand to be so bureaucratic," she said. "I never imagined a profession that moulds the future generation of a nation to receive such ill treatment from so many stakeholders here." Hou, aged 33, has a psychology degree and a teaching qualification and taught in Singapore for six years before coming to New Zealand in 2016 with her husband, a lawyer. She was told that her Singapore qualification was only considered to be Level 5 on the NZ qualifications framework, two levels below a degree, so she did a postgraduate teaching diploma at Victoria University in Wellington last year. Despite all that, she is being paid just $1245 a fortnight before tax on the "untrained employee" pay rate as a fulltime classroom teacher at Arahoe School in New Lynn. That's just $622.45 a week, or $15.56 an hour for a 40-hour week - $2.14 an hour below the legal minimum wage, which increased on April 1 from $16.50 to $17.70 an hour. Michaela, a 28-year-old United States-trained teacher, has been on the same $1245 fortnightly pay rate since the start of this year. She has a master's degree in education and taught for three years in the US while getting a postgraduate teaching qualification. She did a practical placement at an Auckland school last year and applied to another school while she was there.
"I really loved New Zealand so I decided to come back," she said. She gets just under $500 a week after tax and pays $250 a week to rent a room in a flat. She has run through all her savings and has had to ask her family to send money from the US to keep her afloat. "It's pretty frustrating. It's hard to live on this much in Auckland. It cost me a lot of money to move here too," she said. Anna Pryde, 26, a first-year NZ-trained teacher at Panmure Bridge School, said she was also still on the $1245 fortnightly pay rate because the education payroll company Novopay was waiting for a security clearance from the US, where she worked three and a half years ago.
She also gets $980 a fortnight after tax and pays $700 for rent and power. NZEI campaign director Stephanie Mills said teachers "absolutely should not be in this position". "This is not just about correcting payments, this is about the ministry breaching their obligation to pay above the legal minimum wage. The ministry's head of infrastructure service Kim Shannon said "the great majority" of teachers were paid on the correct rates.
"A small number of the teaching workforce have been impacted as a result of the new minimum wage rate applying from April 1," she said. "We are not aware of any overseas teachers recruited by our approved recruitment providers being affected. "However, we will reach out to our recruitment providers tomorrow to be absolutely sure that all the teachers they have recruited are on the correct pay rate. If there are any overseas teachers, including those not recruited through ministry recruiters, who are concerned about their pay rate, they should get in touch with us: teacher.supply@education.govt.nz. "We are currently working with our payroll provider to ensure that all teachers are being paid correctly. We are committed to ensuring that minimum wage adjustments are captured across all the schools payroll workforce in the future. "We will continue to keep schools and teachers updated."
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Drains can be dangerous.
Report damaged or missing drain covers immediately to 09 301 0101
A black labrador cross dubbed an "escape artist" by her owners is looking for a new home that can ke…
A 20-year-old man has been arrested over a serious assault in the West Auckland suburb of Kelston on…
A 20-year-old man is due to appear in court after a fight that left a person critically injured in W…
Buzz on down to WestCity these school holidays to get close to nature and become a bee inspector!
We will have a special appearance by the Bee Lady NZ herself who will teach you all about bees, why they’re important and how we can help save them. If that’s not enough, you will get the … View moreBuzz on down to WestCity these school holidays to get close to nature and become a bee inspector!
We will have a special appearance by the Bee Lady NZ herself who will teach you all about bees, why they’re important and how we can help save them. If that’s not enough, you will get the chance to get up close and personal to the observational bee hive and finish off by making your very own beeswax candle to take home.
Bookings will be taken on the day of the activity.
Where: WestCity Waitakere - Centre Court, Level 1- 7 Catherine Street, Henderson, Auckland
When: Monday 22nd – Friday 26th April from 10.30am – 2.30pm;
Thursday 25th April (Anzac Day), 1 pm – 4.00pm
Phone: +64 9 978 6700
The Warehouse is proud to support Parenting Place this month, hosting their Peel & Reveal competition at all our checkouts. You have to be in to win!
In addition, all proceeds from our Rangi Kipa reusable bags currently in store at checkouts will go to Parenting Place. Parenting Place … View moreThe Warehouse is proud to support Parenting Place this month, hosting their Peel & Reveal competition at all our checkouts. You have to be in to win!
In addition, all proceeds from our Rangi Kipa reusable bags currently in store at checkouts will go to Parenting Place. Parenting Place exists to walk alongside whānau from the moment their little ones are born, until the time they raise tamariki of their own. Visit parentingplace.nz for more information.
A person has critical injuries after a fight was reported in West Auckland. A police spokeswoman sa…
The victims of an alleged $907,000 real estate scam have been left in no man's land. More than 72…
Leftover cake pops from my orders this weekend, all chocolate and absolutely delicious! Perfect as an Easter snack ☺️
$15 for a tray of 15 - only 2 trays left 😋 pick up Glen Eden.
The parents of a teenager who was killed on an Auckland train track are working harder than ever to…
Are your curtains or blinds stained? Mildewed? Spreading harmful mould spores or unpleasant odours?
Come talk to our specialist curtain and blind cleaners!
Drop off and pick up your curtains from 5A Kaimahi Road, Glenfield and we'll give them a professional clean with 20% off!
Receive … View moreAre your curtains or blinds stained? Mildewed? Spreading harmful mould spores or unpleasant odours?
Come talk to our specialist curtain and blind cleaners!
Drop off and pick up your curtains from 5A Kaimahi Road, Glenfield and we'll give them a professional clean with 20% off!
Receive a no obligation FREE quote. Temporary curtains provided at no cost.
Any curtains and blinds that need repairing, we can arrange on your behalf, saving you time!
Give your curtains and blinds the fresh look, feel and smell this new season brings!
Open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm
Call us 09 473 5350
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