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

Extract of the Terms of Settlement
Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement
Dated 14 December 2022 

This document sets out and extract of the agreed components of the settlement of the Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement 2022-2024 (TKECECA). This agreement has been settled between the Secretary for Education and the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI Te Riu Roa) and shall be subject to ratification by NZEI Te Riu Roa members pursuant to section 51 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.  

1. Term

The parties agree to renew the Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement by amending clause 1.5 as follows: 

The term of the Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement 2022-2024 shall be effective for 24 months from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2024, except as provided for under s.53 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

2. Remuneration

The parties agree to renew the maintenance of the Unified Base Salary Scale for the term of the collective agreement by amending clause 4.9.5. 

The parties also agree that the Unified Base Salary Scale will increase by $4,000 from 1 December 2022 and $2,000 or 3%, whichever is the higher, from 1 December 2023 for each step of the scale as outlined in clause 4.1.1. 

3. Additional Payments

Partnership with NZEI Te Riu Roa - $750 Lump sum for members employed on 3 March 2023   

The parties agree that a one-off gross lump sum of $750 be paid to all full-time teachers who are members of NZEI Te Riu Roa and bound by this Agreement on 3 March 2023.  

The payment will be prorated for part-time teachers based on the FTTE on 3 March 2023 and for short-term relievers based on the proportion of working days available in 2022 that were worked by the teacher, provided at least one day of short-term relief was worked at least one day of short-term relief in Term 4, 2022.    

A teacher may be eligible to have the payment calculated under more than one of the above categories. However, no eligible teacher will receive a total gross payment that is less than $75 or more than $750 as outlined in clause 1.9. 

$500 Lump sum for teachers, head teachers and senior teachers employed on 1 December 2023   

The parties agree that an additional one-off gross lump sum of $500 be paid to all full-time teachers employed on 1 December 2023.  

The payment will be prorated for part-time teachers based on the FTTE on 1 December 2023 and for short-term relievers based on the proportion of working days available in 2023 that were worked by the teacher, provided at least one day of short-term relief was worked at least one day of short-term relief in Term 4, 2023.    

A teacher may be eligible to have the payment calculated under more than one of the above categories. However, no eligible teacher will receive a total gross payment that is less than $50 or more than $500 as outlined in clause 1.9.

4. Short-term Relievers

The parties have agreed to provide a definition of short-term relievers in the Agreement and reflect the current definitions for Relievers and Fixed Term teachers in clause 2.3 and in the definitions clause 1.7. 

The parties have also agreed to provide for the payment of short-term relievers in clauses 4.7 and 4.1.2 to 4.1.6. 

5. Service Recognition

The parties have agreed to update the provision of service recognition in clause 2.5.

6. Sick Leave

The parties have agreed to update the provision of sick leave as outlined on clauses 6.5.1 to 6.5.4. 

The parties have also agreed to clarify when sick leave is deducted for teachers in a job share as outlined in clause 2.2.3. 

The parties have also agreed to introduce provision for disregarded sick leave set out in clause 6.6. 

7. Bereavement Leave

The parties have agreed to update the Bereavement leave provisions set out in clause 6.7. 

8. Professional Learning and Development

The parties acknowledge the importance of an active programme to support professional learning and development. To ensure the programme remains fit-for-purpose Te Kura undertakes regular review of the policy, programmes, processes and the communication of opportunities available, taking into consideration input from kaimahi. Where study outside the programme provided by Te Kura is identified, in an individual’s personal development plan, they can seek study support via [website link] 

The parties have agreed to update the Training and Professional Development provisions set out in clause 2.6. 

9. Student:Teacher Ratios

The parties recognise the need for kaiako to have sufficient time to engage with whānau and ākonga in order to deliver high-quality, future-focused, teaching and learning. Student:Teacher ratios are a crucial part of that consideration. Student:Teacher ratios will be reviewed by the employer within each budget round after consulting with kaiako. Te Kura will engage with kaiako twice annually at an ECE team hui; one of the hui will be scheduled prior to the annual budget round. In these hui the employer and kaiako shall jointly consider whether the existing student:teacher ratios are fit for purpose. 

10. Related matters

We note that this settlement will be implemented by the Education Payroll by 30 March 2023, providing it is ratified by 23 December 2022.  

The parties agree that the terms and conditions in the collective agreement, bar the union only benefit, will be passed on to non-union staff. 

11. Technical changes

The parties agree to make any technical changes that are mutually agreed prior to the collective agreement going out for ratification.

The parties on signing this document acknowledge, subject to any subsequent agreed editorial and technical changes, that this reflects the agreements reached in the settlement of the Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement 2022-2024.  

Signed in Wellington on 14 December 2022: 

Joschka Hoffmann - Advocate for NZEI Te Riu Roa
Tanya Duncan - Advocate for the Secretary for Education
Witnessed by: Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu