Circular 2023/11 - Settlement of the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement

Date 5 September 2023 | Circular 2023/11 | Category Employment Relations

This circular is about the details of the recent settlement of the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA) 2023-2025 and information on applicable Individual Employment Agreements. 

This circular does not replace any other.

It is intended for Presiding Members of School Boards and Principals of all state and state-integrated area schools.

For more information contact the New Zealand School Trustees Association about human resource issues generally on 0800 782 435 or email eradvice@nzsta.org.nz. You can also email the Ministry of Education's Employment Relations Unit: employment.relations@education.govt.nz if you have questions about the settlement or the new collective agreement. All collective agreements for school staff can be found on the Ministry's website: www.education.govt.nz/collective-agreements/.

The actions needed are to: 

• Note the details of this settlement, including the new rates of pay that are provided for teachers working in positions covered by the new collective agreement.
• Offer the new Individual Employment Agreement (IEA) to existing employees who are not PPTA Te Wehengarua or NZEI Te Riu Roa members but are working as area school teachers covered by the new agreement.
• Note where new employees opt for an IEA, ensure they are offered the updated IEA. Ensure you are using the latest letter of offer of employment template for new employees, available from NZSTA.
• Note that a one-off gross payment of $5,000 will be made to all area school teachers employed as of 18 August 2023. This payment will be pro-rata for part-time teachers and short-term relievers.
• Note two separate one-off gross payments of $710 and $1,500 will be made to all area school teachers who were members of PPTA Wehengarua or NZEI Te Riu Roa as of 31 July 2023 and bound by the agreement as at 18 August 2023. The $710 payment is not pro-rata.
• Note Education Payroll will implement the lump sum payments by 5 September 2023 and the rest of the settlement by 15 November 2023.
• Note the changes to the Motor Vehicle Allowance rate, Sick Leave, Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance (MITA) and maximum timetabled classroom teaching time.
• Note the introduction of Cultural Leadership Allowances, Pacific Bilingual and Immersion Teaching Allowances (PBITA) and Pastoral Care Time Allowances.

We will publish guidance about the application of new allowances prior to implementation.

Introduction 

The Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023-25 (ASTCA) was ratified by members of PPTA Te Wehengarua and NZEI Te Riu Roa on 18 August 2023.

The term of the agreement is from 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025.

This circular provides a summary of the changes and new provisions agreed in the settlement.

The full collective agreement can be downloaded from the Ministry of Education’s website: www.education.govt.nz/collective-agreements/ and printed copies will be available from the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA).

Key features of the settlement

Remuneration

The new Base Salary Scale (BSS) is outlined in the table at the end of this document. The new BSS reflects an increase of 6% to all steps effective from 3 July 2023, a second increase of 4% effective from 3 April 2024, and a third increase of 3.9% effective from 2 December 2024, lifting the top step to $103,086.

Note Step 1 and Step 2 of the BSS have merged effective from 3 July 2023.

All BSS rates will increase by between $7,785 and $13,086, translating to an overall 14.5% rise across the term of the collective.

Additional payments of:

• $5,000 to all full-time teachers employed as at 18 August 2023. Pro-rated for part-time and short-term relievers.
• $1,500 to all teachers who were members of the PPTA Te Wehengarua or NZEI Te Riu Roa on 31 July 2023 and bound by the collective agreement as at 18 August 2023. Pro-rated for part-time and short-term relievers.
• A one-off gross payment of $710 will be made to all teachers who were PPTA Te Wehengarua or NZEI Te Riu Roa members on 31 July 2023 and bound by the collective agreement as at 18 August 2023. This has been calculated to provide a net of tax amount broadly equivalent to the cost to renew a standard teaching practicing certificate during the term of the agreement.

Additionally, from 3 July 2023, beginning teachers who progress from their provisional to full certificate during the term of the collective agreement will be entitled to have their fees paid centrally (currently $512.37).

Increase to the maximum salary step for short-term relievers from BSS Step 5 (new step as of 3 July 2023) to Step 6 from 28 January 2024.

Classroom release time for full-time teachers who predominantly teach years 1 -6 (reduction to maximum timetabled classroom teaching time)

Classroom release time for full-time classroom teachers who predominantly teach years 1 – 6 will increase by 1 hour and thirty minutes per week by Term 1, 2025, therefore reduced the maximum timetabled classroom teaching time for these teachers to 22.5 hours, by Term 1, 2025.

These increases will be phased in by adding:

• 30 minutes per week will be provided from Term 1, 2024, reducing maximum timetabled classroom teaching time to 23.5 hours.
• 30 minutes per week will be provided from Term 3, 2024, reducing maximum timetabled classroom teaching time to 23 hours.
• 30 minutes per week will be provided from Term 1, 2025, reducing maximum timetabled classroom teaching time to 22.5 hours.

Additionally, the maximum timetabled classroom teaching time for teachers who predominantly teach years 1 - 6 and hold one or more permanent units shall reduce by one hour per week from Term 1, 2025.

Pro-rated non-contact time for part-time teachers who predominantly teach years 7 - 13

From Term 1, 2025, non-contact time for part-time teachers (who predominantly teach years 7 – 13) proportionate to that of a full-time teacher will be introduced.

Additionally, from Term 1, 2025, the 11% salary loading will cease to apply to part-time teachers (who predominantly teach years 7 – 13).

The parties will develop guidance ensuring no part-time teacher employed at the end of the 2024 school year, and who continues to be employed on 28 January 2025 school year, is disadvantaged due to the introduction of this provision.

Sick leave entitlements

From the start of the 2024 school year, changes to sick leave will provide significant increases that go over and above the Holidays Act 2003 (the Holidays Act)

Additionally, changes will be made to sick leave to remove weekend deduction of sick leave and ensure compliance with the Holidays Act.

No teacher will have less sick leave entitlement than on the previous system and most will have substantially more entitlement over their career.

Conversion from the current entitlements is set out in Appendix 8 of the ASTCA.

Cultural Leadership Allowances, Māori Immersion Teaching Allowances (MITA), Pacific Bilingual and Immersion Teaching Allowances (PBITA) and Pastoral Care Time Allowances

Cultural Leadership Allowances

From 28 January 2024, one Cultural Leadership Allowance per area school of $5,000 per annum will be introduced to recognise those kaiako with additional responsibilities because they are cultural and/or community leaders who build staff capability in schools and kura.

Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance (MITA)

The MITA will increase from 17 July 2023. Immersion Level 1 (currently at $8,000) will have increases of to up to $12,000 per annum and for Immersion Level 2 (currently at $4,000) will have increases to up to $8,000 per annum.

Pacific Bilingual and Immersion Teaching Allowance (PBITA)

The PBITA will be available from 28 January 2024.

Pastoral Care Time Allowances

From Term 1, 2025, 547 Pastoral Care Time Allowances of 0.25 FTTE will be available to area school teachers who predominantly teach years 7 – 13. These will be generated by formula in the relevant Staffing Order.

Hours of Work and Annual Leave Provisions

The parties to the agreement agree they will review the hours of work provisions prior to 28 January 2024 and during the term of the agreement they will review the annual leave provisions to formalise a closedown under the Holidays Act.

Other

From 14 August 2023, the allowances for motor vehicles will increase from 62 cents per kilometre, to 83 cents per kilometre.

From 28 January 2024, schools will have more flexibility with their use of Kāhui Ako within school teacher roles and allowances, as set out in clause 3.33 of the ASTCA.

Learning Support Coordinators will be recognised in clause 3.37 of the ASTCA.

Individual Employment Agreement (IEA)

Teachers who are not members of PPTA Te Wehengarua or NZEI Te Riu Roa, but whose work could fall within the respective coverage clause of the relevant collective agreement, may be offered the newly promulgated IEA to access the applicable terms and conditions of the renegotiated collective agreement. On 25 September 2023, the Secretary for Education (the Secretary) will promulgate new IEAs. Teachers who are not union members will need to sign a new IEA to access the new terms and conditions (including the increased pay rates). The IEA is only valid if both the employer and the employee sign it, and it cannot be before 25 September 2023.

The Secretary will also promulgate a new IEA for teachers in relieving and/or fixed-term positions. To access the increased pay rates and the improved terms and conditions of the IEA, all teachers in relieving and/or fixed-term positions will need to sign a new IEA, and this IEA also is only valid if both the employer and the employee sign it and cannot be dated before 25 September 2023.

Employers are 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.

New employees who are not members of the union must be employed on an IEA based on the applicable collective agreement for the first 30 days of employment, after which they can choose to remain on the IEA or join the applicable union and become bound by the collective agreement.

Please note that if the Board and the employee do not sign the new IEA then the new provisions will not apply. Pay rates and other provisions will remain the same as provided for in the now expired collective agreement.

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: 

Tim Tucker, Manager Employment Relations, Te Pou Ohumahi Mātauranga | Education Workforce
Ministry of Education, 1 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, New Zealand, Phone 04-463 8000,

Email employment.relations@education.govt.nz

Last reviewed: 05 September 2023 Has this been useful? Give us your feedback