By far the issue that takes up most of my time in terms of constituency work is immigration. It is a complicated, rigorous process, that is administered to the letter of the policy, and leaves many lost in the system. One such case came my way on Friday. A woman is trying to confirm her immigration status in order to stay here and look after her two New Zealand born children. One of the criteria she has to fulfil is to show that she has the means to look after the children. The policy contains a minimum income level that is needed to prove she can do this. She is miles away from meeting it, despite working full time as a teacher-aide. The reference letters that she has from parents and teachers are testament to the remarkable work that she is doing, often above and beyond the job itself.
The tragic irony is that as a support staff member in a school she is currently the subject of a 0% pay offer. So one part of the government system thinks that she should not be paid any more, and another thinks she is not paid enough to look after her children.
Support staff keep our schools going. From teacher aides, to school secretaries to IT people to librarians they are the infrastructure of school system, and often the first port of call for children in difficulty or crisis. Many of them do not have permanant contracts, and have to find other work in the holidays. Labour in government was working towards a pay deal that would recognise the importance and value of their work. Unfortunately that work seems to have gone, and a pay freeze is the best on offer.
This is an area where we need to do far better as a nation. To take an example, teacher aides are the critical figures in the learning of special education children. They are the ones who ensure that these kids have the education that is their right. They need better pay, and a career structure, including training that reflects the key role they play. National has been trumpeting the additional ORRS funding they have provided in the Budget. Well, good on them. However, there is an element of robbing Peter to pay Paul here as funding has gone from other areas of special education support, such as physios in schools. But in any case, if we do not provide adequate pay to those who support the students all the shuffling of funds in the world will make no difference.
Find out more about the support staff campaign here
Not overly good timing to be boasting about working hard assisting your constituents with their immigration issues ?
Bryan Spondre mutters:Not overly good timing to be boasting about working hard assisting your constituents with their immigration issues ?
Love these snags….soooo last century.
Meantime, what do YOU think about the issue represented by the case described above? Or are you too phik skinned to care?
I had to laugh as well – having just been reading in the Herald about another labour mp who spent a lot of time helping constituents with their immigration issues.
“the only thing of which Taito Philip Field is guilty is being helpful“ – helen clarke
oops.
thanks for those comments. Any of you care to venture a view on school support staff?
Ok
School support staff are yet another example of why pay equity matters. They’re a female dominated profession that is grossly underpaid compared to equivalent male professions.
National’s lack of care for human right, equity and fairness keeps finding new ways to damage women and their families.