Second Collective Offer to be Considered by Primary and Area school Principals and Primary Teachers

In mid-December of last year, new collective offers were tabled by the government for Primary and Area School Principals, and Primary teachers. NZEI Te Riu Roa union members are set to hold meetings to discuss the new terms in February.

For principals, the new offer includes:

• A revised public service pay adjustment (PSPA) offer of $4000 to the U-Grade salary component from 1 December 2022
• A 3% increase to the U-grade salary on 1 Dec 2023
• A one-off $750 pro-rata payment for members of NZEI Te Riu Roa on 3 March 2023
• A one-off payment of $500 for all principals on 1 December 2023.

An equity index payment will replace the decile payment.  

For Area school Principals the number of sabbaticals awarded will increase by 5 per year. For Primary school principals, the increase in the number of sabbaticals awarded will be from 105 to 145 per year.  

There is also an increased Māori immersion teaching allowance (MITA) for levels 1 and 2. The last clause will be paid to principals who take at least six hours a week of teaching in a Māori immersion setting. Level 1 will see an increase from $4000 to $6000, and Level 2 from $4000 to $5000. Additional increases will be added at the end of three- and six-years’ experience respectively.  

For Primary teachers, the offer includes:

• A $4000 increase to trained teacher salaries, backdated to 1 December 2022
• A further 3%, or $2000 increase (whichever is highest) will come into effect on 1 December 2023.
• A one-off pro-rata payment of $750 for NZEI Te Riu Roa members on 3 March 2023
• A one-off pro-rata payment for all teachers on 1 December 2023.

This offer is expected to equate to a higher than $2000 increase for teachers on Step 6 and above in year 2.  

Release time will increase by 5 hours a term from Term Three 2023, a further 5 hours a term from Term One 2024, and then a further 5 hours a term from Term Three 2024. Overall, a total of 15 hours a term over the next two years. For all permanent unit holders, release time will increase by the equivalent of one hour per week (10 hours a term) from Term Three 2024.  

For both Primary and Area school principals and Primary teachers, all other terms of their offer remain the same as the first. 

Area schools’ teachers are yet to receive a second offer from the government.  

Area and Primary school principals are set to vote on the terms of their offer through paid union meetings likely held on the week beginning 20 February. Primary school teachers will hold paid union meetings between 27 February and 3 March to discuss their offer. If the offers are rejected, both principals and teachers are likely to escalate their campaigns to industry action.  

In a press release emailed out last Wednesday 25, NZEI Te Riu Roa said that the new offer still didn’t meet the rising cost of living. Following the announcement of the annual rate of inflation at 7.2%, Potter said “we want teaching to be seen as a valuable and valued role. That can’t happen if the job is not paid at sustainable levels.” 

These second offers come after educators strongly rejected initial collective offers in November of last year. Teachers were offered a $6000 increase over two years, a figure that did not make up for inflationary pressures. Principals were similarly dismayed with their initial offer, which Lynda Stuart, chief negotiator for the principals of NZEI Te Riu Roa, said principals found insulting.  

The full terms of the second offer made to both Primary and Area school principals and Primary teachers can be found on the NZEI Te Riu Roa website.