PPTA

Hon Trevor Mallard
Minister of Education

MEDIA STATEMENT

Government and PPTA Reach Agreement

Government negotiators and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association have reached an agreement to settle the secondary teachers collective agreement.

The package for settlement was finalised yesterday and will be put to PPTA members for ratification early in the first term of next year.

It includes provision for guaranteed non-contact time.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard and PPTA President Jen McCutcheon welcomed the agreement.

They said both sides were keen for an agreement to be reached before the summer break and they were pleased that the new school year would start with the prospect of a more settled environment.

Mrs McCutcheon said PPTA negotiators had worked hard to reach a settlement that would work for its members and gaining guaranteed non-contact time was a significant achievement.

“We have been striving for nearly 10 years to get our workload issues addressed in our employment agreement. Guaranteed non-contact time is a positive step towards achieving this.”

“While the pay is disappointing, the view of the PPTA executive is that the gains made on workload, which was identified by members as our main priority in this round, were worthwhile,” Mrs McCutcheon said.

Trevor Mallard said the package for settlement would provide for a positive start to the new school year.

“These have been lengthy negotiations and I would like to thank the negotiators for the time and effort they have put towards getting a package that both sides can agree to. The Mediation Service, established under the Employment Relations Act, also made a positive contribution to getting a result.

“I am especially heartened by the agreement that the PPTA will work co-operatively with government to help teacher recruitment and retention. Both teachers and the government want quality education in secondary schools and addressing the teacher supply issue together will help secure future quality,” Trevor Mallard said.

Attached – summary of package for settlement

ENDS

Key Elements of the Proposed Settlement Package for the Secondary Teachers Collective Agreement, subject to ratification.

1. A new provision which requires schools to develop policies which:
- provide three hours non-contact time for each full-time teacher in 2002 and 2003
- provide four hours non-contact time for each teacher in 2004
- make provisions for circumstances where, for genuine reasons, it is not possible to provide the non-contact time
- endeavour to provide five hours non-contact time for each teacher from 2005
2. A 2% increase on salary rates and units, effective 11 July 2001.
3. A further 1.5% increase on salary rates and units, effective July 2002.
4. A new payment of $2500 per annum for most teachers in schools designated as high priority staffing areas and removal provisions for all teachers in those schools.
5. An employment based retirement savings scheme with a Government contribution.
6. An increase to the Maori Immersion Teacher Allowance for registered teachers.
7. Five new Study Awards specifically for Maori.
8. Unpaid refreshment leave for qualifying teachers where service will continue to accrue for some purposes including pay progression.
9. A time allowance of a half a day per week for Year 2 teachers to assist them to progress towards full registration.
10. Limits on the employment of non-permanent teachers to positions except where there are genuine and reasonable grounds.
11. Improvements to removals provisions, especially for beginning teachers.

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