20 August 2002

Govt. Accepts Independent Panel Recommendations

The government will accept the recommendations from the independent panel brought in to provide alternative dispute resolution to help settle the secondary teachers’ collective agreement.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said today the panel’s recommendations amounted to a significantly larger investment than the government had anticipated and was a different shape from the two previous settlements agreed with the PPTA.

“But when the panel was established a few weeks ago, the government stated that it would accept its recommendations, and we stand by that commitment.

“We saw the alternative dispute resolution process as the most positive way of breaking through the impasse and I hope that our faith in this process will be rewarded with ratification.”

Trevor Mallard said he acknowledged that the independent panel had targeted recruitment and retention of quality teachers as the key issue facing the secondary school sector.

“These are also issues which we are looking to address with a number of initiatives and we believe that the reshaping of the salary scale as recommended by the panel will help attract and retain quality secondary teachers.

“The panel has recommended that beginning teachers with a both a degree and a teaching diploma enter the salary scale one step higher than currently. It has also recommended that those teachers can reach one level higher by adding a further step to the top of the base scale. A teacher in a secondary school who meets the qualification criteria would move up a step in February next year in addition to any normal annual progression. The recommendations complement the government push for improved qualifications as a key to improving quality and standards in all areas of education.

“There are also three salary increases during the term of the agreement; 2.0% from July last year, 1.5 % from July this year and a further 3% from July 2003 with expiry on 30 June 2004.

"Over the term recommended the starting salary for most secondary teachers will increase $3,323 or 9.8% to $37,323. The salary for a fifth year teacher who receives the High Priority Teacher Supply Allowance will increase from $41,500 currently to $49,953 in July next year. This is a 20.4% increase. A teacher at the top of the scale will receive an increase of $6,092 or 12.1% to take their base salary to $56,392."

Trevor Mallard said no decisions had been made on how to finance the package.

“It will mean tightening our belt elsewhere, particularly in the out years, but that is an issue we will address as part of next year’s Budget process.

“In the meantime, I would like to thank the panel members Dame Margaret Bazley, Bruce Murray, and Doug Martin for their valuable contribution to this process,” Trevor Mallard said.

To view the report click here: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=14703

Attached

Key recommendations
Chronology of events

Secondary Teacher Collective Agreement: Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel Recommendations

Key elements of the recommendations from the independent panel

 Base salary increases of 2% with effect from 11 July 2001, an additional 1.5% with effect from 10 July 2002, and an additional 3% with effect from 9 July 2003;
 Increases in the value of units to $2,805 from 11 July 2001, $2,847 from 10 July 2002, $2,900 from 5 February 2003 and $3,000 from 9 July 2003;
 A higher entry point for a person entering the service with a 3-year Bachelor Degree (or better) and a Diploma of Teaching with effect from 5 February 2003;
 Teachers who are currently on Step 6 or above and hold a minimum 3-year Bachelor Degree and a Diploma of Teaching will increment one step on 5 February 2003 in addition to the usual increment on their anniversary of service;
 From 5 February 2003, a new step 14 at $54,750 for teachers holding a minimum 3-year Bachelor Degree and a Diploma of Teaching; and
 An expiry date of 30 June 2004.

The Panel also endorsed components of previous settlement packages including:

 An entitlement of 3 non-contact hours per week from 2003, increasing to 4 non-contact hours per week from 2004. Schools will endeavour to provide 5 non-contact hours per week from 2005;
 An additional 2½ hours per week release time for 2nd year beginning teachers; and
 A High Priority Teacher Supply Allowance of $2,500 per annum ($1,500 per annum for provisionally registered teachers), payable to approximately 460 secondary teachers in schools in areas identified as experiencing the greatest staffing difficulties.

In addition, the Government has committed to the following as part of the settlement package negotiated following the ADR panel recommendation:

 The introduction of 2 steps of staffing improvements, providing 375 additional secondary teachers for the 2003 school year;
 To implement staffing improvements based on the recommendations of the School Staffing Review Group by the beginning of the 2007 school year and endeavour to implement them by the beginning of the 2006 school year; and
 The establishment of the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Teacher Remuneration.
Chronology of Secondary Teachers’ Negotiations 2001-2002 (at 19 August 2002)

12 March 2001 Bargaining for Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement initiated by PPTA.
3 April 2001 First meeting, PPTA claim tabled.
10 April 2001 Government offer to PPTA tabled.
24 August Focus group on non-contact time provisions
October 2001 Industrial action begins – including rostering home.
15 October 2001 1 day national strike.
20 November 2001 PPTA revised claim
6 December 2001 Settlement reached. (45 days negs)
Early Feb 2002 PPTA membership ratification meetings
18 Feb 2002 PPTA membership reject December settlement (56% of votes against ratification).
1 March 2002 Second day of nation-wide strike action.
20 March 2002 New Government offer tabled
22 March 2002 PPTA advise that the executive reject the offer and will not take it out for ratification.
12 April 2002 PPTA seek membership endorsement of new claim.
14 May 2002 Mediation - PPTA table counterclaim.
Government response
16 May 2002 Second settlement reached in mediation.
17 May 2002 Wildcat strike action over settlement begins.
10 June 2002 PPTA membership rejects May settlement (75% of votes against ratification).
10-17 June 2002 Informal talks to find a way forward.
Ministry propose NCEA focus group to look at issues and find practical solutions.
June 2002 Industrial action recommences extra-curricular ban and rostering home action proposed.
Student “strikes” throughout country.
17 June 2002 PPTA announces suspension of rostering home action.
Extra-curricular bans remain in place.
18/19/20 June 2002 PPTA stopworks to seek new mandate for bargaining
21 June 2002 Negotiations recommence
PPTA does not achieve majority support for new claim – increase claim to backdate allowance of $3000 per year for 2002/2003
PPTA table new claim – increased from May claim.
23 June 2002- Negotiations
25 June 2002 NCEA forum with principals, teachers and students
28 June 2002 Mediation – PPTA propose final offer arbitration. MoE propose non – binding ADR with panel.
1 July 2002 Collective Agreement lapsed – all secondary teachers on individual agreements
2 July 2002 Ministry initiates bargaining to ensure continuation of process.
3 July 2002 Mediation. Discussion ADR and potential membership
4 July 2002 Ministry table new package with NCEA implementation units.
Agree to reconvene Monday 8 July when PPTA will respond on offer after meeting with exec over weekend.
7 July 2002 PPTA advise press that PPTA executive have rejected offer.
8 July 2002 In mediation, PPTA advise Ministry offer of package for settlement rejected by their executive. MoE advise PPTA that impasse reached.
8 July Discussion on draft proposal terms of reference for ADR
16 July PPTA send info to members on ADR (industrial action not lifted)
23 July PPTA members endorse ADR 76%
29 July Ministry opening submission
31 July PPTA opening submission
19 August Panel present their report

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