Wintec marks down teachers' industrial action

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Wintec might take legal action to stop a plan by teaching staff to withhold students' end-of-year marks as part of their industrial action.

Wintec chief executive Mark Flowers described the plan as a move too far and said it could jeopardise Wintec's chance of future international enrolments. About 300 Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members at Wintec voted this week to withhold marks as part of their ongoing action. They have been on wildcat strikes since September over their employer's proposal to increase teaching days by 10 per cent in return for a 2 per cent pay rise over 18 months.

Six polytechnics nationwide are involved in the dispute.

Mr Flowers said management was currently making adjustments to its proposal and thought the union would have waited to see the amendments before taking further action.

"But what disturbs me the most is that this is plainly targeting the students," he said. "It's going to certainly disturb international students and might lead to them not re-enrolling.

"That in turn will lead to less money for Wintec. It seems to me that they are shooting themselves in the foot."

Mr Flowers said marks were the property of Wintec and the students, not the staff.

"So we are regarding it quite seriously and are looking at legal options. It's really unfortunate we've ended up in this place. This should be a negotiation and it's not going to get resolved with this sort of behaviour."

Second-year media arts student Samantha McPherson asked what right her tutors had to take the action. "We work our arses off to get our assignments done on time.

"How can they expect our support when they are threatening to withhold our final marks? They do not deserve our support as there is a line and they have clearly crossed it. This has gone too far."

Wintec Student Association president Sam Mackenzie said students were already angered by strike action leading up to their exams, and this would only add to their stress.

Tertiary Education Union national industrial officer Irena Brorens said lecturers did not want to "undermine their students' learning". "They certainly don't want to withhold assessment marks, but the employers are leaving them with no choice."

TEU staff and supporters will hold a protest march in central Hamilton tomorrow from 4pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News