Occupational Licensing: Teachers union against more teachers

"What’s better, no teacher or a recently retired, though now deregistered one?

'An Otago principal facing relief staff shortages would rather use unregistered teachers than send his students home.. . . [But] PPTA Te Wehengarua president Chris Abercrombie said the “ad hoc” response ... meant thousands of young people would not be taught by trained and qualified subject-specialist teachers. . . [And] PPTA Otago regional chairman Kussi Hurtado-Stuart said the loosening of regulations [allowing this] was a 'short-sighted solution.'

"Surely a recently retired, albeit no longer registered, teacher would be better than no teacher? ..."

~ Ele Ludemann, from her post 'Union’s politics showing,' in which she submits "the union’s anti-Government politics" are on display here. I'd suggest however that this is less about the union's politics, and more about simply protecting its turf. Just like all occupational licensing.