6 Apr 2023

Union's kindergarten teachers to vote on new pay offer

6:50 pm on 6 April 2023
A file photo shows bright yellow chairs in a kindergarten or pre-school.

Photo: 123RF

The Educational Institute will ask its kindergarten teacher members to vote on an improved pay offer next month.

It said the potential deal included five more sick days per year than the previous offer from the Education Ministry.

The union said the offer made yesterday included the pay rise kindergarten and school teachers previously refused - $4000 from December last year, with a further $2000 or three percent in December this year - but with the addition of a third pay rise in December 2024.

The union said in total the three increases would raise kindergarten teachers' pay by 11-14 percent and their top pay rate would increase from $90,000 to $100,000.

The spokesperson for the union's negotiating team, Virginia Oakly, said the increased sick days were "huge" for the union's members.

"Covid really hit us hard and has really knocked our teachers around because we're exposed to everything, all illnesses are going through our kindergartens," she said.

"So what we've got on the table is an offer of 15 days which is an increase of five days from the 10 that everyone gets. That's huge for us, that's really enormous and that really does show the recognition of the illnesses that we are exposed to."

Oakly said the offer also included 100 allowances of $5000 a year each for kaiako Māori.

Negotiating team member Reweti Elliott, said: "Kaiako Māori carry a big load in kindergartens, around te reo and tikanga, so it's very heartening to see this claim recognised in the offer."

A Ministry of Education spokesperson called it a 'fair outcome'.

"We're pleased we have reached a settlement for kindergarten teachers to consider," ministry general manager, employment relations and pay equity, Mark Williamson said.

"We think this is a fair outcome which provides a significant increase in salary and certainty during difficult economic times.

"We have also been able to address kindergarten teachers' concerns about sick leave and the need to better support cultural leadership and kindergarten leaders."

Earlier today the Educational Institute announced its primary and area school principal members would take industrial action from the start of the second school term.

It said they would refuse to do any work involving the Education Ministry from 24 April until the end of June.

They would also refuse to work on weekends and apart from school board meetings they would not work outside the hours of 8am and 5pm on weekdays.

So far only secondary principals and the minority of primary principals represented by a union set up by the Principals Federation have ratified the Education Ministry's pay offers.

Primary school teachers and secondary school teachers have yet to accept the offer.

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