School Caretakers', Cleaners', Canteen and Ground Staff Collective Agreement

Download this agreement

If you want a printed copy of this agreement we suggest you download the following PDF version.

School Caretakers', Cleaners', Canteen and Ground Staff Collective Agreement 2022-2024 [PDF, 602 KB]

Note that documents are available in Adobe PDF format only. Accessible versions, where available, can be supplied on request.

Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz

Part 3: Caretakers

School Caretakers', Cleaners', Canteen and Ground Staff Collective Agreement
Effective 14 November 2022 to 13 November 2024
(includes variation dated 6 June 2023)

  • 3.1 Application/Definition
    • 3.1.1 Except as otherwise provided Part 3 shall apply to caretakers as defined below only.

      3.1.2 A Grade One caretaker (and/or a custodian) is a worker who is substantially employed to have the responsibility for the safety and good order of the grounds and buildings and to lock and unlock doors; and who may be required to perform and supervise duties of cleaning, attending to fires, heating plant and swimming pools, and to do minor maintenance but not work required to be undertaken by a registered or qualified tradesperson.

      3.1.3 A Grade Two caretaker is a worker appointed by the employer who may be employed to have the responsibility for the safety and good order of the grounds and buildings and to lock and unlock doors; and who may be required to perform and supervise duties of cleaning, attending to fires, heating plant, and swimming pools. In addition to the duties above, the Grade 2 caretaker shall undertake (and shall be available and have the necessary skills to undertake) school maintenance work (in addition to minor maintenance work) which they are legally able to undertake and which would normally be undertaken by a registered or qualified tradesperson.

      3.1.4 An assistant caretaker is a worker employed to assist the caretaker in the carrying out of their duties.

      3.1.5 A part-time caretaker is a worker who is substantially employed in the duties outlined in 3.1.2 above but where the total amount of the employer's assessment (subclause 7.5A.6) is less than 35 hours per week.

      3.1.6 A caretaker in a primary school shall be responsible for the care of the grounds.

      3.1.7 In all schools where the number of hours determined by the employer for the proper care and cleaning of the school (see 7.5A.6) is 35 hours per week or more, for the purposes of this Agreement a full-time caretaker shall be employed, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the affected workers and employer.

      3.1.8 A caretaker’s duties do not include locking up after evening classes, except where this is specifically required in the caretaker’s terms of employment.

  • 3.2 Remuneration
    • 3.2.1 The following provisions set out minimum remuneration rates for assistant, grade 1 and grade 2 caretakers (excluding supervisor caretakers):

      Step Rate effective
      11/12/2020
      Rate effective
      14/11/2022
      Rate effective
      14/11/2023
      1 $21.78 $23.70 $24.66

       

  • 3.3 Boiler Allowance
    • A caretaker required to operate coal-fired, oil-fired or pellet-fired boilers shall, while so employed, be paid an allowance at the rate specified below, during the period of the year when the boilers are in use.

      In the event of a power outage and subsequent resetting to gas-fired boilers, the allowance, as per this clause will also be available.

      This payment is not in lieu of the Unusually Dirty Work Allowance as provided for in clause 5.7. A worker may qualify for both the boiler operating allowance and the dirty work payment on the same day if they perform unusually dirty work.

        • boiler allowance - $3.09 per day or part thereof
  • 3.4 Provision of Tools
    • A caretaker required to do maintenance shall be supplied with the tools necessary to undertake the work at the employer’s expense. Such tools are to remain the property of the employer.

  • 3.5 Callback
    • 3.5.1 When a caretaker is asked and agrees to be called back to work after having completed work and left the place of employment, they shall be paid a minimum of two hours.

      3.5.2 Paragraph 3.5.1 above shall not apply to a residential caretaker unless the callback results from an emergency and is of at least 30 minutes duration.

  • 3.6 Hours of Work
    • 3.6.1 Ordinary hours of work shall not exceed 40 per week or 8 per day to be worked, Monday to Saturday inclusive. This can be worked as five consecutive days between Monday to Saturday or over six days where an employee has a half day off during the week and works on Saturday morning.

      3.6.2 As far as possible the hours of work shall be continuous from the time of starting work save for the intervals for meals which shall not be more than one hour or less than 30 minutes. No caretaker shall be required to work for more than four and a half hours without a meal.

      3.6.3 Where a caretaker is residing on the premises where they are employed, the time during which they are engaged on actual work coming within the scope of their duties as caretaker in connection with the building shall be considered as working time.

      3.6.4 Rest and meal breaks will be provided in accordance with the Employment Relations Act 2000.

      Note: at the time of settlement the Act provides that: if an employee’s work period is more than 2 hours but not more than 4 hours, the employee is entitled to one 10-minute paid rest break. If the employees’ work period is over 4 hours they are also entitled to a 30 minute unpaid meal break and if it is over 6 hours they are also entitled to a second 10 minute paid rest break.

  • 3.7 Overtime
    • 3.7.1 All time worked in excess or outside of the hours of work prescribed in clause 3.6 shall be regarded as overtime.

      3.7.2 Overtime will only be worked where mutually agreed by the employer and caretaker.

      3.7.3 Overtime is paid at the rate of time and one half.

      3.7.4 Where previously agreed overtime is cancelled by the employer with less than 24 hours' notice, the caretaker shall be paid one hour's pay at the overtime rate.

  • 3.8 Retiring Leave
    • 3.8.1 Except as provided by 3.8.2 below, a full-time caretaker on completion of 40 years’ service, or on completion of 10 or more years' service at age 60 or over, is entitled to qualify for retiring leave. The entitlement in working days ranges from 22 days after 10 years' eligible service to 131 days after 40 years' service. Service in excess of 40 years does not attract a greater retiring leave entitlement.

      3.8.2 A permanent part-time caretaker who meets either criteria set out in 3.8.1 above and who was previously full-time but had their hours reduced as a result of clause 7.1 of this Agreement, shall also remain entitled to qualify for the Retiring Leave based upon their average weekly hours set over the five years immediately preceding the date of retirement (e.g., a full-time caretaker whose set hours are reduced to 30 exactly two years six months before retirement and who would have been entitled to 100 days, is entitled to 87.5 days i.e., the midpoint between 0.75 and 1).

      3.8.3 Retiring leave entitlement is set out in working days below:

       

      Months of Service

      Years of Service 0 2 4 6 8 10
      10 22 23 24 24 25 26
      11 26 27 28 29 29 30
      12 31 31 32 33 34 34
      13 35 36 36 37 38 39
      14 39 40 41 41 42 43
      15 44 44 45 46 46 47
      16 48 49 49 50 51 51
      17 52 53 54 54 55 56
      18 56 57 58 59 59 60
      19 61 61 62 63 64 64
      20-25 65 65 65 65 65 65
      25 65 66 66 67 68 69
      26 69 70 71 71 72 73
      27 74 74 75 76 76 77
      28 78 79 79 80 81 81
      29 82 83 84 84 85 86
      30 86 87 88 89 89 90
      31 91 91 92 93 94 94
      32 95 96 96 97 98 99
      33 99 100 101 101 102 103
      34 104 104 105 106 106 107
      35 108 109 109 110 111 111
      36 112 113 114 114 115 116
      37 116 117 118 119 119 120
      38 121 121 122 123 124 124
      39 125 126 126 127 128 129
      40 or more 131  
  • 3.9 Accommodation
    • 3.9.1 Accommodation may be provided as a condition of employment. The level of rental paid for accommodation for a caretaker is set to compensate the caretaker for minor disturbances, inconveniences, and as recognition of the role they play in the security of the school.

      3.9.2 Where an employer requires a caretaker to occupy accommodation provided by the employer as a condition of employment, the rent to be deducted shall be negotiated between the employer, the employee, and the union representative. If not needed, the matter shall be determined in accordance with Part 8.

      3.9.3 Subject to the provisions of 3.9.2 above, the deductions of rent by the employer from the wages of a caretaker shall be subject to their agreement in writing.