Rejected: Educators say no to latest collective agreement offer

Primary and area school teachers and principals have rejected their latest collective pay offer from the Ministry of Education.

The decisions come after two weeks of nationwide meetings between NZEI Te Riu Roa union members to discuss government offers. Primary and area school teachers announced the rejection of their government proposed collective agreement on November 27, and principals followed suit two days later, on November 29. The decision for early childhood educators will be announced after union meetings are wrapped up on December 1.  

The discussion during teachers’ meetings was described by NZEI Te Riu Roa President Liam Rutherford as “robust and frank and pretty much unanimous”.  

On the teachers’ pay offer, Rutherford continues: “It was clear that the pay component did not meet the rising cost of living [and] did nothing to even come close to our major concerns around reducing classroom ratios, fixing funding for learning support, reducing work demands and giving us time to teach.” 

On the teachers’ pay offer, Rutherford continues: “It was clear that the pay component did not meet the rising cost of living [and] did nothing to even come close to our major concerns around reducing classroom ratios, fixing funding for learning support, reducing work demands and giving us time to teach.” 

The teacher’s offer from the Ministry of Education included an increase of $6000 across two years, with a $4000 increase in the first year and the rest in the second. There was a provision to address staffing issues, but no clause addressing workload. 

Additionally, an earlier version of the teachers’ offer from the ministry included a proposal to disestablish the 53 resource teacher Māori positions currently in service nationwide. This clause has since been retracted from the offer due to a large backlash. However, Meriana Taputu, chair of the National Association of Resource Teachers Advisory Māori (NARTAM), notes negotiations are ongoing, and urges union members “not to become complacent”. 

“We’re grateful the offer has been taken off because of the overwhelming support of NZEI members nationwide, however, there’s more work to do” says Taputu. She points to sick leave provisions and classroom release times as examples of areas which need revision. 

“Teachers are frustrated and disappointed the Government does not seem to be listening to them,” said Rutherford. He says that the impact of Covid on the education sector hasn’t been adequately recognised by the collective agreement offer, which “follows years of cumulative stress being placed on [teachers] because of under-investment in education”.  

In addition to voting for the rejection of the collective agreement offer, teachers have decided to collectively advocate to their MPs, and confirmed further union meetings in Term One.  

The sentiments expressed by primary and area schools teachers were echoed during the live-streamed announcement of the principals’ ballot.

Lynda Stuart, Principal of May Road Primary school and lead negotiator for the principals of NZEI Te Riu Roa, said that although principals are consistently thanked for their roles as leaders in their community, this “thanks has not been accompanied by any sort of support”.

Ripeka Lessels, tumaki of Te Whata Tau ō Pūtauaki, Vice-President of NZEI Te Riu Roa and leader of the Area Schools negotiation team, noted that the offer “fails to address complexities that all principals have faced over the past few years”. Lessels further highlighted the complex needs of area schools, which are often in isolated and rural areas and understaffed.

Wendy Kofoed, President of the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association added that “it’s vital that schools are fully staffed for every child to reach their potential”. 

Principals said their offer did little to address practical issues in the sector, which include a lack of adequate support, and unsustainable workloads. Primaries are also pushing for resourcing equity with secondary schools, which negotiator Lynda Stuart says will create “the fair playing field that we should have for our children”.

Stuart described principals as being “insulted” and “disappointed” by the current offer, noting that many feel undervalued. Amavi Mey, Presiding Member of the May Road School Board of Trustees, added that from a board perspective, this undervaluing means principals are becoming harder to recruit and retain due to poor working conditions.

“Principals are feeling really unsupported, and see that their only option is to leave the profession. We want to make sure we can support them within the profession to keep them for as long as possible.”

Stuart confirmed principals were also thinking about next steps, noting there may be a vote on strike action next year if a more suitable offer isn’t tabled.