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all Language Schools news
Language schools forging ahead
Sat 10 Oct 09
It's a long time since we've updated on the language schools but we have been making excellent progress. Unite now has collective agreements with seven schools (Dominion, GEOS, Kaplan Aspect, EF International, Sheffield, Queens Academic, Crown Institute). Three of these schools (Dominion, GEOS and Kaplan Aspect) have bases in Auckland and Christchurch) and we are finalising agreements with Eurocentres and St George in the next two weeks.We have initiated bargaining with two more schools - Languages International and Embassy/Taylors here in Auckland.
Kaplan Language school reaches settlement
Fri 2 May 08
After a concentrated battle union members at Kaplan Aspect reached agreement recently with the company on a collective agreement.
It's been a rugged time for teachers at the school with the company wanting to increase time at school when teachers were not teaching.
Kaplan Aspect was effectively asking for 15 hours more time at school each week without compensation.
Previously teachers were free to work either at school or at home and many people had built their lives around the flexibility this offered to staff to work other jobs or organise childminding arrangements.
It took a day-long strike on 26 March to provide the momentun for a breakthough and eventual settlement.
English Language Teachers Strike
Thu 27 Mar 08
Teaching staff at the Kaplan Aspect English Language School in Parnell Auckland went on strike yesterday in support of their Collective Employment Agreement claims.
This decision comes after the company announced a “restructuring” which Mike Treen, National Director of Unite, the teachers' union, called a blatant attempt to get around good faith negotiations.
Treen said the company has told staff they have to accept the company’s new conditions or be made redundant. These conditions include increasing the teaching hours from 22.5 to 24 and imposing a requirement to be on site for 37.5 hours a week when this was optional for non-contact teaching hours previously.
Kaplan Strike
Thu 27 Mar 08
EF Language School reaches 100% union membership.
Wed 2 May 07
Recently union membership at EF Language School has hit 100 percent (not counting school management). This is a result of the great benefits gained for EF staff achieved by the union (Unite) and the hard work put in by its members on site.
The latest members have cited negotiated increases in pay rates and job security as the main reasons for their decision to join Unite union. Also mentioned was the feeling of being supported by colleagues and union representatives and being a part of something important.
In the last year EF staff have received reasonable pay rises and improved working conditions. Negotiations are currently underway to build on these gains.
