Government Slams Planned Public Sector Strike, Urges Unions to Resume Talks

Public Service Minister Judith Collins said the action would hurt ordinary New Zealanders, particularly patients and students, and urged unions to return to the negotiating table.

The New Zealand Government has issued a stern rebuke to public sector unions ahead of a proposed nationwide strike scheduled for tomorrow, calling it "unfair, unproductive and unnecessary." Public Service Minister Judith Collins said the action would hurt ordinary New Zealanders, particularly patients and students, and urged unions to return to the negotiating table.

Strike Called a "Stunt" as Talks Stall

Minister Collins described the planned industrial action as a "stunt targeting the Government," warning that the real impact will fall on the public, not politicians.

"The people paying the price are the thousands of patients who have had appointments and surgeries cancelled, and the hundreds of thousands of kids who will miss another day at school," Collins said.

She noted that the strike comes during an already disrupted school week — with many schools holding teacher-only days and students looking forward to the upcoming Labour Weekend. These disruptions are especially concerning for NCEA-level students, many of whom are just weeks away from final exams and have already faced significant education interruptions due to previous strikes and pandemic-related closures.

"It is only by genuine negotiation that settlements are achieved," she added. "The Government is at the table with offers, but the unions are out on the streets with megaphones."

Education Offers Detailed

Education Minister Erica Stanford backed Collins' remarks, revealing the Government's latest pay offers to teachers are among the most generous in decades. Under the latest proposal:

• 66% of trained primary school teachers would earn a base salary of $100,000 or more within 12 months of ratification—up from 40% today.

• 76% of trained secondary school teachers would reach the $100,000 mark from 29 October 2025, compared to 60% under the current structure.

"These are meaningful offers. They represent a genuine attempt to improve conditions for teachers," Stanford said. "Yet the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) has chosen to reject them."

Stanford also criticized the unions for failing to prioritize claims during bargaining, making it difficult to negotiate meaningfully. She stressed that the Government is investing heavily in education, including:

• $53 million to cover teacher registration and levies

• $750 million in learning support, the largest such investment in a generation

• Significant funding for teacher training, development, and classroom resources

"Teachers and principals want to be in school. They can see the positive change in classrooms with our reforms. The unions are letting them down by not bargaining in good faith," Stanford said.

Doctors' and Nurses' Disputes Also Escalate

Health Minister Simeon Brown weighed in on the medical sector's disputes, criticizing the union representing senior doctors for walking away from what he called a generous and fair offer.

"Senior doctors are among the most highly paid professionals in New Zealand," Brown said. "At Health New Zealand, the average total remuneration for senior doctors is $343,500, not including private sector work."

Additional benefits include:

• Six weeks of annual leave

• Paid conference leave

• A fully paid three-month sabbatical every six years

The Government's latest offer included:

• A 5% salary increase over two years

• A targeted boost for first-year specialists

• A proposed $40 million retention fund to address staffing shortages in hard-to-fill hospitals

Nurses were also offered modest increases, with top-step nurses due to receive:

• A 2% increase in June 2025 (equivalent to $2,135 per year)

• An additional 1% raise the following year

Brown noted the average total salary for Senior and Registered Nurses is now $125,662, including allowances and overtime.

Unions Accused of Hurting Their Own Members

Minister Collins concluded by warning that prolonged strikes would not result in backdated settlements, meaning union members risk losing more by delaying agreements.

"Dragging these negotiations out with industrial action is cruel to those people who were due to have surgery or vital consultations. It is disruptive for senior school students about to face exams. It is irritating for families with younger school children," she said.

Collins emphasized that unions should prioritize constructive negotiation over street-level activism, stating, "The unions have chosen disruption over dialogue. We'd encourage them to do the opposite."

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With the strike poised to go ahead, tensions between the Government and public sector unions appear to be escalating. While ministers insist their offers are fair and financially responsible, union leaders continue to call for more substantial commitments on wages and working conditions — setting the stage for a potentially prolonged period of industrial unrest.