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Labour’s education spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime says incorrect claims by a Government minister over secondary school teachers’ pay are harmful and “hugely disrespectful”.

On Monday, Public Service Minister Judith Collins apologised for “mixing the message” when previously claiming that secondary school teachers with 10 years’ experience get paid $147,000.

Data provided by Collins’ own office shows just 1.8% of teachers earned more than $140,000.

Collins apologised but stressed “the key point remains that teachers are not underpaid.”

It comes as teachers prepare to strike tomorrow after rejecting the Government’s latest offer of a 1% annual increase over three years.

Prime said these were “really sensitive times” and “misleading” statements damaged the sense of trust the public held in teachers.

Labour list MP and education spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime during Question Time in Parliament on August 12. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“I think that it was really harmful, her comments, in the lead-up to the strikes ... to be spreading such misinformation about what teachers are actually earning.

“It’s hugely disrespectful, and the teachers are really upset about it,” Prime said.

In the hours after the union announced plans to strike, Collins and Stanford held a press conference at Parliament. Collins (incorrectly) said she thought on average a teacher with 10 years’ experience was paid about $140,000.

She has since apologised for these verbal mixed messages. A press statement sent out around the same time stated the correct figures.

Prime said that press conference “felt like a lot of gaslighting”.

“I think that they are trying to create division between the teachers and the public.

“And that’s why when there are figures that are used that are misleading, it is misinformation, it does a lot of damage to the trust and confidence that the teachers have, with government, but also that the public have.”

‘Stop having little tantrums’, Collins says of unions

Speaking to reporters today, Collins reiterated that she had “mixed up her messages a bit” but the written statements were correct.

It was “pretty clear” high school teachers were paid well, she said.

“People can get after 10 years’ experience in picking up all the allowances available, up to $147,000 a year. That’s very clear,” Collins said.

“I think what’s really upset the unions is that we’re actually putting some facts out there and they’d much rather just go straight to strike and not go to the bargaining table, and my comments are very clear – get to the bargaining table. Stop having little tantrums as the unions decide to do."

Collins said the PPTA striking after only six days of bargaining without taking the offer of 1% a year for three years to members was appalling, disingenuous and a “political stunt” that would disrupt students as they prepared for important exams.

The union said it did not take the offer to members because it was so far below their expectations and “what’s disingenuous – and deliberately disinformative – are the minister’s false claims about what teachers earn”.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.