Classrooms of 40 students: Primary school teachers vote to strike over pay and work conditions
Primary school teachers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of going on strike again. The strikes will roll out over the country in just over a fortnight. The Auckland region is first to strike on 12 November, followed by the rest of the North Island, except Auckland and Wellington, on November 13. Next in line is wider Christchurch where teachers will walk off the job on November 14 followed by the rest of the South Island the next day.
Finally, on the Friday, it'll be Wellington's turn to finish off the week of rolling strike action.The fast becoming reality of many teachers in New Zealand is individually they teach classrooms upward of 40 pupils. "There are lots of schools that are struggling on a daily basis to even get a couple of relievers," Galdstone School Teacher Kahli Oliveira says. Ms Oliveira has taught for twenty years.Today her co-teacher was sick with laryngitis but there was no one to cover."I'm really scared that there are so many people like me that are not going to go back to teaching next year."Teachers want better pay, lower workloads and more resources. This led them to strike in August with the government offering up a three percent pay rise each year over the next three years.But the teachers union New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) wants a 16 percent rise over two years."You're going to need to open those purse strings a bit more and really focus in as well on that time and that support that we've been talking about, but we want to settle this," NZEI President Lynda Stuart says. Education Minister Chris Hipkins says he's disappointed but not surprised primary school teachers will strike again. "I certainly understand the issues that teachers are raising, we know we've got a lot of work to do there's no question about that."The strike means hundreds of children will stay at home for one day. But parents don't seem too put out. Those who Newshub spoke with supported teachers for their right to fight for their jobs. Hopes for any type of resolution now sits with the Employment Relations Authority - who will facilitate urgent bargaining between teachers and the ministry
Both sides insist they want to avoid another nationwide teacher strike.
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Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
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Andy Warhole Triple Elvis at Auckland Art Gallery
Something different and worth visiting, See special for Elvis Fans below
Pop to Present: American Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
One of the most iconic artistic tributes to The King is now on display at Auckland Art Gallery
Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis — a legendary artwork that helped shape Elvis Presley’s image as a global pop culture icon — is a standout highlight of Pop to Present: American Art from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts , a landmark exhibition of American art.
This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a work that celebrates Elvis’s enduring legacy, alongside masterpieces by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein, Mark Rothko and more.
✨ Don’t miss your chance to see Elvis through Warhol’s eyes. ✨
Special promotions
Quadruple Elvis Comeback Special: Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 January 2026
In honour of Andy Warhol's Triple Elvis, featured in Pop to Present, we're holding a special promotion to celebrate The King of Rock and Roll's birthday.
Inspired by Warhol's work, the Gallery invites you to become the art and take it from a Triple Elvis to a Quadruple Elvis. From Thursday 8 January to Sunday 11 January, anyone who comes dressed in their best Elvis getup will receive 50% off their entry to Pop to Present. Think: sunglasses, sideburns and slicked hair. Dust off the jumpsuit and leather jacket or even an Elvis Tee Shirt, and join us for a weekend of Pop-inspired fun.
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