Circular 2016/06

Date 13 May 2016 | Circular 2016/06 | Category Industrial Relations

Settlement of the Secondary Principals' Collective Agreement and a new Individual Employment Agreement

This circular is about The details of the recent settlement of the Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement and information on applicable Individual Employment Agreements.

This circular replaces This circular does not replace any other.

The action needed is To note the contents of this circular and complete the requirements concerning Individual Employment Agreements if applicable.

It is intended for Chairpersons of boards of trustees and principals of all state and state-integrated secondary schools.

For more information contact the Industrial Relations Unit, email industrial.relations@education.govt.nz.

All agreements are available on the Ministry’s website http://www.education.govt.nz/collective-agreements/

Introduction

The Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement 2016-2019 (SPCA) was settled on 9 May 2016 and has now been ratified by the members of the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) and the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand Inc (SPANZ Union). It is effective from 12 May 2016 and is now the applicable agreement.

The term is for 36 months from the date of ratification (12 May 2016 to 11 May 2019). The agreed salary adjustments will take effect from 2 May 2016, 2 May 2017 and 2 May 2018 for principals who were, on the date of settlement, a member of either the PPTA or the SPANZ Union employed under the terms of the SPCA.

This circular provides a summary of the changes and new provisions. The full collective agreement is available on the Ministry of Education’s website. Printed copies will be available from the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA).

The pay increases provided for in the SPCA are not available to employees on Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) unless a new IEA is entered into between the Board and the employee, and in no case can such an increase be effective before 13 May 2016, or the date the IEA is signed, whichever is the later.

Key features of the settlement

Remuneration

Amendments to the remuneration components have been agreed as follows:

U-Grade

There is an increase to U-Grade rates by 2% from 2 May 2016, by a further 2% from 2 May 2017 and by a further 2% from 2 May 2018 as follows:

U-GradeRoll sizeRates prior to
2 May 2016
Rate effective
2 May 2016
Rate effective
2 May 2017
Rate effective
2 May 2018
1 1-50 $76,177 $77,701 $79,255 $80,840
2 51-100 $84,538 $86,229 $87,953 $89,712
3 101-150 $91,557 $93,388 $95,256 $97,161
4 151-300 $98,731 $100,706 $102,720 $104,774
5 301-500 $105,905 $108,023 $110,184 $112,387
6 501-675 $110,006 $112,206 $114,450 $116,739
7 676-850 $114,275 $116,561 $118,892 $121,270
8 851-1025 $118,547 $120,918 $123,336 $125,803
9 1026-1200 $121,450 $123,879 $126,357 $128,884
10 1201-1400 $124,353 $126,840 $129,377 $131,964
11 1401-1600 $128,589 $131,161 $133,784 $136,460
12 1601-1800 $132,827 $135,484 $138,193 $140,957
13 1801-2000 $136,788 $139,524 $142,314 $145,161
14 2001-2200 $140,751 $143,566 $146,437 $149,366
15 2201-2400 $144,219 $147,103 $150,045 $153,046
16 2401+ $147,687 $150,641 $153,654 $156,727

Staffing funding component

An increase to the staffing funding components of 2% from 2 May 2016, a further 2% 12 months later (2 May 2017) and a further 2% 24 months later (2 May 2018) as follows:

    1. From 2 May 2016
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) ≤ 13 the staffing funding formula will be (($723.18 x TTS) + $2,815)
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) > 13, the staffing funding formula will be ((142.80 x TTS) + $10,758))
    2. From 2 May 2017
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) ≤ 13 the staffing funding formula will be (($737.64 x TTS) + $2,872)
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) > 13, the staffing funding formula will be ((145.66 x TTS) + $10,973))
    3. From 2 May 2018
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) ≤ 13 the staffing funding formula will be (($752.40 x TTS) + $2,929)
      • Where the Total Teacher Staff (TTS) > 13, the staffing funding formula will be ((148.57 x TTS) + $11,143))

Decile payment

There is an increase to decile payment rates by 2% from 2 May 2016, by a further 2% from 2 May 2017 and by a further 2% from 2 May 2018.

Career payment

There is an increase to career payment rates on all three stages by 2% from 2 May 2016, by a further 2% from 2 May 2017 and by a further 2% from 2 May 2018.

Leadership in raising youth potential

An increase to the per-student payment component of the Leadership in Raising Youth Potential payments by 2% from 2 May 2016, by a further 2% from 2 May 2017 and by a further 2% from 2 May 2018.

An increase to the base payment component of the Leadership in Raising Youth Potential payments of $250 from 2 May 2016, a further $250 from 2 May 2017 and a further $320 from 2 May 2018.

Other changes

Sabbatical leave scheme

From the 2018 school year the number of sabbaticals awarded annually will reduce from 45 to 40 to support the reimbursement of approved costs associated with the work proposal for a sabbatical. The maximum total annual cost of any such reimbursements will be $200,000 and the maximum total reimbursement of costs for any one sabbatical shall be $5,000.

Refer clauses 5.12 and 5.13 of the SPCA.

Working relationship

The wording in relation to working relationship has been amended to reflect the consideration of appointing a mutually agreed and suitably qualified independent person to facilitate or mediate the resolution of working relationship issues.

Refer clause 4.3 of the SPCA.

Special leave

The wording in relation to special leave has been updated, including the addition of a new subclause (5.7.8(f)(iii)) outlining special leave conditions relating to principals increasing their knowledge and skill in Te Reo and/or Tikanga Māori.

Refer clause 5.7.8(f) of the SPCA.

Other matters

The following matters were also agreed:

  • The Secretary for Education has agreed to cover the cost of secondary principal practising certificate fees to the new teacher professional body, the Education Council, for the three years between 12 May 2016 to 11 May 2019
  • Amendments to clause 5.2 Sick Leave. This revision is intended to make the collective easier to understand and be applied.
  • To establish a working group focused on secondary principal remuneration.
  • Technical changes.

Individual Employment Agreements for Secondary Principals

An Individual Employment Agreement (IEA) based on the terms and conditions of the renegotiated SPCA has now been promulgated and is available on the Ministry’s website.

Principals who are not members of the PPTA or SPANZ Union but whose work could be covered by the SPCA coverage clause may be offered the newly promulgated IEA to access the applicable terms and conditions of the renegotiated SPCA.

IEAs are only effective from the date of signing and cannot be effective before the date they were promulgated by the Secretary for Education.

The previous requirement that an employer had to offer a new employee, who is not a member of a union party to a collective agreement that would cover the employee’s work if he or she was a union member, the terms and conditions of that agreement for the first 30 days of employment no longer applies. However, employers are still required to inform new employees that a collective agreement exists and provide them with a copy of the agreement, as well as information regarding how to contact and join the relevant union.

If you are intending to offer existing employees who are not union members the promulgated IEA then you must draw their attention to the details of the applicable terms and conditions of the new SPCA.

Please note that if the board and the employee do not sign the new IEA then salary increases will not apply. Existing employees on old IEAs will be entitled to the new salary rates from the date that they sign the new IEA (or 13 May 2016, whichever is the later).

In the event a board has concerns and/or questions regarding its employment arrangements with individual employees, the board should contact its NZSTA adviser or its own employment adviser.

Issued by

Nick Kyrke-Smith, Senior Manager Industrial Relations, Education Workforce, Early Learning and Student Achievement
Ministry of Education, National Office, Matauranga House, 33 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, New Zealand, Phone 04-463 8000, Fax 04-463 8001, Email industrial.relations@education.govt.nz

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