There could be an entire week of rolling teacher strikes across the country in November.
Union NZEI Te Riu Roa announced on Monday that members will vote in the first week of Term 4 on whether to hold a national week of one-day strike actions.
Last week, teachers and principals resoundingly rejected the latest Ministry of Education offers, which failed to address the need for a significant pay jolt, teacher workload or resourcing for children with additional learning needs.
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The proposed strike action would consist of rolling one-day strikes throughout New Zealand in November.
NZEI Te Riu Roa President Lynda Stuart said the decision came after members were consulted both in schools and at this week's annual conference, over a number of options for industrial action.
"There was also some support for lesser industrial action, and strong support for a two-day strike," she said. "However the strongest support was for a national week of strike action."
Ms Stuart said union members will keep in mind the disruption a week's worth of strikes will create in New Zealand schools.
"Our members are concerned about the impact any strike will have on parents and children, but on balance we are hearing that education is already being disrupted by the teacher shortage," she explained.
"Over half of schools didn't have enough staff last term. We are hearing about so many children being shifted into other classes because schools can't find a teacher for them."
A recent survey by Navigators for NZEI indicated there is still strong public support for a pay rise for teachers, and has grown among parents of primary school-aged children.
Some 87 percent of respondents said they believe primary teachers need a pay rise. Of those, 68 percent believe teachers need a pay rise higher than 9 percent. That statistic is up from 60 percent in June 2018.
Secret ballots on the action, required under employment law, will be conducted by NZEI between October 16-25.
Newshub.
