Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Early Childhood Teachers Celebrate Labour’s Pay Parity Commitment
Early childhood education (ECE) teachers across the country are celebrating this morning following a $600m commitment by the Labour Party to move towards pay parity for qualified teachers if re-elected.
NZEI Te Riu Roa says the policy commitment will have a significant impact for ECE kaiako who are currently paid up to 49% less than other teachers with the same skills, qualifications and experience.
“This is a huge win, and it’s all because teachers and their communities came together collectively to campaign for change,” NZEI Te Riu Roa’s President, Liam Rutherford, says.
“Thanks to the attention kaiako and whānau have brought to the issue, we’ve now seen commitments to pay parity from Labour and from the Green Party. Now we’d love to see that same commitment from other parties ahead of the election too.”
Wellington ECE teacher Melissa Burgess says that she and her colleagues jumped for joy when they heard the announcement.
“Seeing this commitment from Labour is a huge relief. Right now, as teachers we're providing critical services to our communities – but decades of underfunding have meant many services are at breaking point," she says.
"Investing in teachers is investing in children. Pay parity will allow kaiako to actually pay the bills – but also give us dignity and the recognition we deserve as teachers."
Mr Rutherford says that the campaign for parity has been long fought, but has found traction this year following the launch of NZEI Te Riu Roa’s ECE Voice campaign.
He says that if Labour is re-elected, the union will work with the incoming government to push for parity to be implemented as soon as possible, and to ensure all additional funding goes directly to teachers’ wages.
Mr Rutherford adds that there are other inequities in early childhood services that still need attention. “We also urgently need to see similar action to address the inadequate pay for our kaimahi in Kōhanga Reo, many of whom struggle to get paid even the minimum wage.”
NZEI Te Riu Roa
New Zealand Educational Institute
NZEI Te Riu Roa members work in every community in New Zealand, leading and advocating for quality public education.
We are the 50,000 principals, teachers and support staff who work in primary, area and secondary schools as well as early childhood centres, special education and school advisory services. We come together as NZEI Te Riu Roa - New Zealand's largest education union, a Treaty based organisation and a powerful advocate for quality public education.
We have the most important job in New Zealand - educating for the future.
Gordon Campbell: On The Public Sector Carnage, And Misogyny As Terrorism
National Maori Authority: Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track Legislation
NZ Government: Comprehensive Partnership The Goal For NZ And The Philippines
DoC: Canterbury Spotted Skink In Serious Trouble
Te Pāti Māori: Oranga Tamariki Cuts Commit Tamariki To State Abuse
NZCTU: Inflation Data Shows Need For A Plan On Climate And Population
Statistics New Zealand: Annual Inflation At 4.0 Percent
