Wintec strikes frustrate students

Strikes by almost 300 Wintec staff have entered their second week, angering many students who say the protests are putting their academic futures at risk.

Almost 300 Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members have been on wildcat strikes since November 2 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.

The strikes follow similar action at the six polytechnics involved in the industrial action in September.

The students are frustrated that their tutors are striking during the last week of term.

Second-year media arts student Samantha McPherson said three of her four classes were cancelled last week.

"I have no idea how we're going to do our assessments and presentations if the tutors aren't at class again this week," Miss McPherson said.

"I take study so seriously. They are supposed to take our learning seriously and they are paid to [do so]. We are just winding down, it's the last week of term and they go on strike. It's so unfair."

Students were worried about how the action would affect their grades considering that the end of term was so near, Miss McPherson said.

Wintec management was handling the situation poorly.

"We've heard nothing," she said. "I have no idea if our class is even on tomorrow."

But other students supported the strike, with about 50 students protesting in support of tutors on campus last week.

TEU co-advocate Chan Dixon said union members had "agonised" over whether to strike so close to the end of term. However, the issue was so important they had had no choice.

Wintec chief executive Mark Flowers said the polytech was trying to "negotiate the best we can" but needed the union to come back to the table and talk about the issues and try to get them resolved.

Wintec had taken steps to mitigate negative effects on students.

Where possible other staff were covering classes of striking union members and allowances would be made at exam time over material that should have been taught in the final weeks of term.

- © Fairfax NZ News