Primary and intermediate school principals vote yes on Government's latest offer

Primary and intermediate school principals have accepted the Government's latest offer, ending months of strike action.

The offer has given pay parity between primary and intermediate principals with secondary principals of similar-sized schools.

It's the end of a "long and gruelling campaign," said New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) president Lynda Stuart on Tuesday.

She says she is proud of the way members of NZEI have united and held out for a fair offer.

The settlement includes an accord which Stuart said will help address workload and wellbeing issues.

"This settlement of course doesn't address all of the issues we face as principals," she said in a statement.

"Work will now begin in earnest with the Ministry and PPTA Wehengarua to make progress on that accord that forms part of the terms of settlement."

The Ministry of Education is glad to see the end of strikes. 

"The Ministry is pleased that primary principals have voted to settle their collective agreement out to 25 August 2022," said secretary for education Iona Holsted. 

The complete offer gives primary and secondary principals

  • Pay parity with secondary principals across the roll, staffing and decile components of remuneration, with this being entrenched through a unified pay system. 
  • Principals of the smallest grade schools (up to 50 students) rolled into the next grade (up to 100 students) on the pay scale
  • Additional funding to ensure at least two adults in every school during the school day
  • Beyond an initial increase to achieve parity, there is a 3 percent per annum pay increase for three years on the roll and staffing components of remuneration
  • A one-off $1,500 (before tax) payment to NZEI Te Riu Roa members
  • An annual $300,000 professional development fund for primary principals 
  • A three-year term for the agreement

 

Newshub.