Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement

As provided under clauses 1.5 and 3.1 of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023-2025, the parties (the NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Secretary for Education, acting under delegation from the Public Services Commissioner), agree to vary the provisions of this Agreement with effect from 30 October 2023, as outlined below:

3.2 Base Salary Scale

Unified Base Salary Scale for Trained Teachers

3.2A

Teachers employed on step 2 at any time between 3 July 2023 and 29 October 2023 will be paid an equalisation allowance. This equalisation allowance is based on the difference between the employee’s pay rate prior to the variation ($57,544) and the rate of the new merged step 1 under the variation ($56,757). This equalisation allowance will be considered part of the affected employee’s base salary for the purposes of pay history. The equalisation allowance is payable from 3 July 2023 but will no longer be payable from the earlier of the following two dates:

      a. The date when the employee becomes entitled to be paid on a higher salary step under the terms of this agreement; or

      b. 3 April 2024. 

Example: A full-time teacher who was paid on step 2 immediately prior to the date of the variation will translate to the new merged step 1. The $787 reduction in their annual salary rate will be compensated by a commensurate equalisation allowance of $787 annually. In practical terms, the overall fortnightly gross pay this employee becomes entitled to as a result of the variation will not be reduced. The equalisation allowance will remain payable until the employee becomes entitled to be paid on a higher salary step, or 2 April 2024 (inclusive), whichever occurs first. 

Note: This transitional clause will be removed in future agreements. 

3.3 Salary Qualification Groups

For salary assessments that occur on or after 30 October 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 Q1 or Q2 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 NQF, a trade or vocations qualification listed in clause 10 of Appendix A (or its equivalent at 5 or 6 on the National Qualifications Framework) shall be recognised for Q3+ 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.

3.6 Resource Teachers – Salary on Appointment

3.6.1 Speech Language Therapists (SLT)

(a) Base salary on appointment for all SLTs shall have regard to previous service and qualifications.

(b) All SLTs can progress, subject to clause 3.7.7, to the applicable salary qualification maximum of the base salary scale.

3.6.3 Resource Teachers Māori (RTM)

(a) From 3 July 2023 the entry step for RTM whose qualification group is Q3 will be step 9 and for RTM whose qualification group is Q3+, Q4 or Q5 will be step 10.

3.6.4 Resource Teachers Literacy (RT:Lit)

(a) From 3 July 2023 the entry step for RT:Lit whose qualification group is Q3 will be step 6 and for RT:Lit whose qualification group is Q3+, Q4 or Q5 will be step 7.

3.23.3 Payment of Salaries - Short Term Relievers

(a) Short-term relievers employed shall be paid at the rate of 1/190 of the appropriate annual salary for each day worked (inclusive of holiday pay). Provided that the maximum daily rate payable for relievers employed for no more than three weeks shall not exceed 1/190 of step 5 on the base scale. From 28 January 2024, the rate payable shall not exceed 1/190 of Step 6 of the Base Scale - Trained Teachers.

(b) A reliever shall, wherever possible, be entitled to be paid within the current or immediately following pay period.

(c) If employed on an hourly basis, this proportion shall be 1/950 of the applicable annual rate to a maximum of step 5 on the base scale (inclusive of holiday pay); provided no reliever so employed shall 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 (1.5) or more, an allowance equivalent to one (1) hours pay shall be paid. From 28 January 2024, the rate payable shall not exceed 1/950 of Step 6 of the Base Scale – Trained Teachers.

Variation signed in Wellington on 30 October 2023 by:

Isabella Sutherland
Advocate
on behalf of the Secretary of Education

Joschka Hoffman
Advocate
on behalf of NZEI Te Riu Roa