Secretary welcomes ratification

Secretary for Education Karen Sewell has welcomed ratification of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA).

“I’m very pleased that secondary teachers have ratified the settlement,” said Karen Sewell. “This gives certainty for secondary teachers, students and schools.”

The new STCA has a term of just under two years, with expiry in January 2013. It gives all trained secondary teachers an average pay increase of 1.6% a year over the term of the agreement.

Trained secondary teachers also get a one-off lump sum payment of $300. Untrained teachers get a one-off payment of $800, but no percentage increase to their pay scale.

The STCA also adds 2,775 Middle Management Allowances by 2013, and establishes a Secondary School Staffing Group to explore issues related to class size and teacher numbers. The Group will report to the Secretary for Education by 30 September 2011.

The Unified Pay Scale in the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement requires the Secretary for Education to offer the terms of the STCA to primary teachers. Karen Sewell said she would make the formal offer over the next month.

“The New Zealand Education Institute will decide whether to accept or reject the terms of the STCA based on what it believes is in the best interests of its members,” said Karen Sewell.

“My strongest congratulations to advocates from the Ministry of Education and the Post Primary Teachers Association for reaching a very good settlement. Congratulations, also, to the secondary teachers who ratified the settlement today,” Karen Sewell said.

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