AdobeStock by bnenin.
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">An arbitration panel tasked with ending a long-standing pay dispute between the PPTA Te Wehengarua and the Ministry of Education released its recommendations last week. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">They include a 14.5 percent pay-rise for teachers over three years, from 3 July 2022 to 2 July 2025. The offer is higher than the Ministry of Education’s previous offer at 11.1 percent, but lower than the PPTA’s proposed pay increase of 17.9 percent. The settlement will add an addition $680 million to the bill, <a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/2023/08/schools-face-funding-changes-from-mid-2025-including-the-end-of-bank-staffing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulting in some funding changes to school administration</a>. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the Term 3 edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The panel recommended a six percent pay-rise backdated to the beginning of July, with an additional four percent in April 2024 and 3.9 percent in December of 2024. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">By 2025, starting salary would be at $64,082 for secondary teachers, while pay rates at the top of the scale would land on $103,085. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The panel also recommended one-off lump-sums of $5000 for all teachers, $1500 for PPTA members and up to $710 to cover teaching practising certificate renewals. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The panel also recommended an allocation of $2.5 million per annum toward professional development for educators. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_27436" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27436" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="wp-image-27436 size-full" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AdobeStock_256411480-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1704" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-27436" class="wp-caption-text">Wages will be increasing as part of the settlement recommended by the arbitration panel. AdobeStock by Andrii Yalanskyi.</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">To address the relationship between the Ministry of Education and PPTA Te Wehengarua, the panel recommended the creation of a new organisation. PPTA Te Wehengarua stated that the Ministry of Education was not responsive to discussions about long-standing issues in the sector, and hadn’t been since the settlement of the last collective agreement. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">To make communication and bargaining easier, the arbitration panel said that a standing committee with an independent chair should be created. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We regard the establishment of such a body as a matter that should be given the highest priority by the parties,” read the panel’s decision. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The panel recommended that this body would be responsible for collecting and collating reports until the expiry of the proposed new collective agreement in 2025. It’s believed that this step might provide a longer-term solution to pay disputes and minimise future industrial action. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Primary and kindergarten teachers are also set to benefit from the deal, as there is a pay parity clause between the PPTA and NZEI. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">PPTA Acting President Chris Abercrombie said that the union was satisfied with the recommendation.</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s not everything we asked, but it’s more than the ministry were offering so we’re satisfied with it,” said Abercrombie. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There were disappointments for teachers, however, mainly around cultural competencies. The PPTA was hoping for allowances for teachers fluent in te reo Māori. Instead, the panel has recommended that there be a trial of 335 community liason roles aimed at supporting Māori and Pasifika learners. These roles would have a release time from other duties and additional $1000 payments for their services.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>

NZEI Te Riu Roa is considering legal action against the government for the disestablishment of…
NZQA is implementing AI-marking for all Year 10 written assessments from this year onwards, following…
Teaching personal financial responsibility isn't enough. Children should be taught broader economic context, argue New…
When students can't hear the teacher, they can't learn properly. Sound quality matters in education…
The Garden City is rich with learning opportunities, no matter what subject or part of…
Teaching Council of Aotearoa launch school leaders’ stories project with Unteach Racism to challenge institutional…
This website uses cookies.
