Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Solomons teachers give government deadline to avert strike

Posted at 04:54 on 17 January, 2013 UTC

The Solomon Islands National Teachers Association or SINTA has given the government until late afternoon to respond to its call to honour pay rises owed to teachers or it will stage a nation-wide strike.

SINTA is threatening to take industrial action if the government fails to address key issues including following through with a promise made last year to re-level the teachers’ salary structure.

The President of the Teachers Association, Samson Faisi, says only new teachers have had their pay cheques adjusted and he expects the government to realign the salaries of those who have been teaching for longer.

“Information that’s now circulating around the ministry concerning this issue of relevelling of teachers, the government is addressing that issue and they’ve called a cabinet meeting here this morning to address that issue.”

Samson Faisi says the Teachers Association will hold a meeting tomorrow morning and will discuss whether to stage a strike.