Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement

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Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz

Part Four: Pay

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Effective: 1 December 2022 to 2 July 2025

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  • 4.1 Teachers’ Scale
    • 4.1.1 The following salary rates are payable to teachers covered by this agreement from the dates specified.

      Step Qual
      Group
      Rates prior to
      3 July 2023
      Rates prior to
      3 July 2023
      Qual
      Notations
      Step Rates effective
      3 July 2023
      Rates effective
      3 April 2024
      Rates effective
      2 December 2024
      1 Q3E  $51,358 $55,358 Q3E 1 $56,757 $57,358 $61,329
      2   $53,544 $57,544
      3 Q3+E $55,948 $59,948 Q3+E 2 $59,948 $61,678 $64,083
      4 Q4E $58,133 $62,133 Q4E 3 $62,133 $64,086 $66,586
      5 Q5E $61,794 $65,794 QE5 4 $65,794 $68,122 $70,779
      6   $65,776 $69,776   5 $69,776  $72,512 $75,340
      7   $70,040 $74,040   6 $74,243  $77,213 $80,224
      8   $75,190 $79,190   7 $79,702  $82,890 $86,123
      9   $79,413 $83,413   8 $84,178  $87,545 $90,960
      10 Q3M $85,490 $89,490 Q3M 9 $90,620 $94,245 $97,920
      11 Q3+M, Q4M, Q5M  $90,000 $94,000 Q3+M, Q4M, Q5M 10 $95,400 $99,216 $103,086

      4.1.1

      1. Teachers employed on step 2 at any time between 3 July 2023 and 29 November 2023 will be paid an equalisation allowance. This equalisation allowance is based on the difference between:
        • the employee’s pay rate under this Agreement prior to this December 2023 variation ($57,544 from 3 July 2023 / $59,544 from 1 December 2023) and
        • the rate of the new merged step 1 under this variation ($56,757 from 3 July 2023 / $57,358 from 1 December 2023 / $59,027 from 3 April 2024).
      2. This equalisation allowance will be considered part of the affected employee’s base salary. The equalisation allowance is payable from 3 July 2023 but will no longer be payable from the earlier of the following two dates: 
        • The date when the employee becomes entitled to be paid on a higher salary step under the terms of this agreement; or   
        • 2 December 2024.

      For example, for a teacher currently paid on step 2, with an anniversary date of 24 February, the translation would be as follows:

        Before 
      Variation
      3 July 2023 1 Dec 2023 24 Feb 2024 3 April 2024 2 Dec 2024 24 Feb 2024
        Step 2 Step 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 2 Step 2 Step 3
      Base salary $57,444 $56,757 $57,358 61,948 $61,948 $64,083 $66,586
      Allowance   $787 $2,186        
      Total Salary   $57,544 $59,544        

      The parties remove this clause in future agreement.

      4.1.2 Part Time Teachers: The salaries set out in 4.1.1, above shall be prorated where a teacher is employed for less than full time.

      4.1.3 A short-term reliever shall be paid either:

      1. at the rate of 1/190 of the appropriate annual salary for each day worked (inclusive of holiday pay), provided the maximum daily rate payable shall not exceed 1/190 of step 5 on the base salary scale from 3 July 2023 (or step 6 prior to this). From 28 January 2024 the maximum daily rate payable shall not exceed 1/190 of step 6 on the base salary scale; or
      2. if employed on an hourly basis, the hourly pay rate (inclusive of holiday pay) shall be 1/950 of the applicable annual rate to a maximum of step 5 on the base scale. From 28 January 2024 the applicable annual rate will be a maximum of step 6 of the base salary scale.

      4.1.4 A short-term reliever shall not be paid for less than two hours per day of relief and, if there is a break in duties of one and a half hours or more, an allowance equivalent to one hours pay shall be paid.

      4.1.5 The pay rates and calculations for short term relievers outlined above are also subject to clause 4.9 of this Agreement which provides for a Unified Pay System between primary and early childhood teachers at Te Kura.

      4.1.6 Where a part-time teacher increases their weekly hours i.e., to meet a temporary demand on the employer, the additional hours shall be paid at the employee’s ordinary pay rate and not at the short-time reliever rates identified in clause 4.1.3 of this Agreement.

  • 4.2 Units
    • 4.2.1 Units may be allocated to teachers on a permanent basis, to positions with permanent responsibilities, and to individuals given additional responsibilities at a higher level for a fixed term, and may be given to teachers seconded to Te Kura for a specified fixed term. Positions with responsibilities will be assigned units according to the degree of responsibilities assigned to these positions. The number of units assigned will be determined each time there is a vacancy or if changes to the job description require adjustments to the units.

      4.2.2 Units are paid at the rate of $4,000, increasing to $4,500 from 28 January 2024 and are additional salary regardless of the level of aggregation. They are paid at the substantive rate (i.e. not divisible) to both full-time and part-time teachers. The only circumstance in which units may be proportioned is in an approved full-time job share position.

      4.2.3 Fixed term units, allocated for any reason, will be paid in addition to the teacher’s rate of pay, including any permanent units.

      4.2.4 At the time of allocating a fixed term unit or units, the employer shall specify in writing either the period of time for which the teacher shall be entitled to that fixed-term unit or units, or the particular assignment or task to be undertaken for which the fixed-term unit or units has been allocated.

      4.2.5 The entitlement to that fixed-term unit or units shall cease at the expiry of the specified period of time or on the completion of the specified assignment or task.

      4.2.6 The employer may reallocate a fixed-term unit or units to the same or another teacher for a further period of time or for a further particular assignment or task.

  • 4.3 Team Leaders
    • 4.3.1 Team Leaders will be paid on the teachers’ scale according to their qualifications and length of service and in addition will be paid management units for responsibility.

  • 4.4 Salary Qualification Groups
    • 4.4.1 The salary of each teacher to whom this agreement applies shall be classified in a salary qualification group by the employer based on the qualifications group notations below.

      4.4.2 For salary assessments that occur on or after 3 July 2023, the Qualification Group Notations entry points (E) and base scale maximum points (M) listed on the unified base salary scale for trained teachers for each qualification group are defined below:

      Q3 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand but no subject or specialist qualification at level 7 or above on the NZQF or equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA.
      Note: also includes teachers previously placed in P1 or P2 qualification groups.

      Q3+ for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

      • a subject or specialist level 7 qualification on the NZQF (i.e. not an initial teacher education qualification) which can be a Diploma (excluding a National Diploma), Graduate Diploma or Degree; or
        an initial teacher education qualification at level 8 on the NZQF; or
      • equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA or an overseas qualification where NZQA has determined that the qualification has level 7 (graduate) study in a subject or specialist area(s) i.e. any area of study that is not initial teacher education.
      • Where the highest trade or vocational qualification is below Level 7 on the NZQF, the following trade or vocational qualifications (or its equivalent at 5 or 6 on the National Qualifications Framework)
        • NZ Certificate in Building, Engineering, Quantity Surveying or Draughting,
        • Advanced Trade Certificate
        • Advanced Technical Trade Certificate
        shall be recognised for P3+ if the teacher has at least 6000 hours of applicable trade or vocational work experience.

      Q4 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

      • a subject or specialist level 8 qualification on the NZQF which can be an honours degree or a Post Graduate Diploma; or
      • two subject or specialist level 7 qualifications on the NZQF (as listed above); or
      • initial teacher education qualification at level 9 on the NZQA; or
      • equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

      Q5 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

      • a subject or specialist level 9 qualification on the NZQF - masters or doctorate
      • equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

      Note: The Qualifications Chart will continue to be used to inform judgements about qualifications unable to be allocated a level by reference to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

      4.4.3 Salary on Appointment - A teacher on appointment or reappointment shall be paid at the appropriate salary scale step having regard to qualification group classification and any service recognised for salary purposes as follows:

        1. a teacher with no service credits, as defined in clause 2.5, will be paid on the relevant entry step for their qualification group as per clause 4.1.1.
        2. a teacher with service credits, as defined in clause 2.5, will be paid at the appropriate step for their qualification group, but no less than the relevant entry step as per clause 4.1.1.
        3. a teacher with overseas qualifications must have their qualifications recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority against the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF).
  • 4.5 Recognition of Improved Qualifications
    • 4.5.1 Upon obtaining the appropriate qualifications for one of the salary qualification groups set out in clause 4.4.3, a teacher shall be entitled to progress annually to the appropriate qualifications maximum, providing the teacher meets the requirements for progression.

      4.5.2 Teachers who improve their qualification(s) and are eligible for a higher salary qualification group shall, on the effective date of improving the qualification(s), receive at least the minimum commencing step for the new qualification(s). The effective date for the improvement of qualification(s) to a higher group in this situation is:

      1. Where qualifications are improved at the end of the academic year – the commencing date of the following school year, that is 28 January; or
      2. Where qualifications are improved during an academic year – the date of the official notification from the relevant tertiary provider of achievement of the qualification(s).

      4.5.3 Teachers who, in accordance with 4.5.1 above, have been held at the maximum point of the salary scale for their qualification group for one or more years of service for salary purposes and who subsequently improve their qualification(s) shall be entitled to progress one salary step towards the maximum step of their new qualification group from the effective date of improving their qualification(s). This date shall become their new anniversary date for salary progression purposes. The effective date for the improvement of qualification(s) to a higher salary group is the date of official notification from the relevant tertiary provider of achievement of the qualification(s).

       

  • 4.6 Progression (Scale Increments)
    • 4.6.1 For the purposes of determining annual progression from one step to the next, the teacher’s performance will be assessed annually against the professional standards agreed between the teachers and Te Kura and attached as Appendix Two.

      4.6.2 When setting performance expectations and development objective/s with the individual teachers for the coming year, the standards against which the teacher is to be assessed should be confirmed between the teacher and the employer.

      4.6.3 For each teacher to progress annually to their next step they will need to demonstrate that they meet the professional standards.

      4.6.4

        1. where a teacher has not met the standards throughout the assessment period they will be advised of the specific concerns and the Chief Executive may defer salary progression.
        2. where salary progression has been deferred a timeframe will be agreed between the teacher and the Deputy Chief Executive during which the teacher will have the opportunity to address these concerns.
        3.  
            1. if it is agreed that the teacher has demonstrated within the timeframe agreed in (b) above that they are meeting the appropriate standards, they will progress to the next step from the date of the second assessment. The teacher’s anniversary date for the purposes of progression only, would move to the date on which the teacher’s performance was deemed to have met the required standards.
            2. if the standards are not met at the conclusion of the timeframe agreed in (b) above the provisions of clause 7.3 will apply.

      4.6.5 Local review process:

        1. where a teacher disagrees with the deferral of their salary increment the teacher may, within 14 working days of being notified of the deferral, seek a review.
        2. the teacher may be represented during the process.
        3. the reviewer shall be a person nominated by the Board of Trustees and acceptable to the teacher. The reviewer may be another staff member but should not be someone connected with the original decision to defer progression. In the event that agreement cannot be reached on a reviewer within a reasonable time the Board shall determine who the reviewer shall be.
        4. the reviewer will give the teacher and the Deputy Chief Executive fair opportunity to make representations.
        5. the reviewer shall make recommendations to the Board within 30 days of receiving the teacher’s application for review.
        6. the Board shall make a final decision within 14 days of receiving the recommendation.
        7. where requested, the teacher shall have access to the information about him/herself provided to the Board by the reviewer.
        8. nothing in this clause prevents the teacher from taking a personal grievance in accordance with Part 9 of this agreement.
  • 4.7 Payment of salaries
    • 4.7.1 The salaries of permanent teachers, excluding short-term relievers, shall be paid fortnightly by direct credit.

      4.7.2 A short term reliever shall, wherever possible, be entitled to be paid within the current or immediately following pay period.

  • 4.8 Deductions
    • 4.8.1 Where time off is to be unpaid including if a teacher is absent from work without authority, or otherwise in default, Te Kura may make the appropriate adjustment to the teacher’s base salary. Where this occurs the teacher will be notified.

  • 4.9 Future Increases
    • 4.9.1 The purpose of this clause is to maintain a Unified Pay System between primary and early childhood teachers employed at Te Kura.

      4.9.2 The Secretary for Education shall, within one month of ratification of any collective agreement (or variation thereof) applicable to primary teachers

        1. notify the NZEI Te Riu Roa National Secretary of any new or changed base scale salary rates and unit values and payments across the board (but excluding payments made to individual teachers who meet specific criteria, such as allowances) in the other collective agreement;
        2. consult the National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa regarding the applicable terms and conditions that the Secretary for Education should include in the offer referred to in (c) below, including terms and conditions reflective of the agreement of the parties that the Secretary for Education is not obliged to offer terms and conditions that would result in early childhood teachers, during the term of this agreement, receiving a remuneration advantage over teachers covered by the other collective agreement referred to in (a) above; and
        3. offer by way of a variation to this collective agreement:
            1. any such changed salary rates and unit values that are in excess of rates/values in this agreement;
            2. any across the board payments;
            3. any terms and conditions made in accordance with (b) above.

      4.9.3 The National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa shall, within one month of receipt of the offer described in clause 4.9.2, advise the Secretary for Education whether NZEI Te Riu Roa wishes to accept such offer. The parties agree that upon receipt of NZEI Te Riu Roa’s acceptance of the offer the Agreement shall be deemed to be varied pursuant to clause 1.6 in the terms outlined in the offer as advised by the Secretary for Education.

      4.9.4 The intention of this clause is to enable changes to the rates in the base salary scale; the value of units; and payments made across-the-board, together with the attached conditions, in the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement to apply to early childhood teachers covered by this agreement.

      4.9.5 This clause shall apply from 1 December 2022 until 2 July 2025. Thereafter this clause will cease to apply and shall have no effect.

  • 4.10 Retirement Savings
    • 4.10.1 Teachers are eligible to join a KiwiSaver scheme in accordance with the terms of those schemes.

      4.10.2 Employer or government contributions to retirement or superannuation schemes which are closed to new members (and include the State Sector Retirement Savings Scheme and the Government Superannuation Fund), shall continue in accordance with the terms of those schemes.

      4.10.3 A teacher is not eligible to receive employer or government contributions to a KiwiSaver scheme where government or employer contributions are made to another retirement or superannuation scheme of which that teacher is a member.

      Note: For information on retirement savings schemes to go to www.education.govt.nz