Collective agreement proposals

9 August 2004

Secondary teachers to consider collective agreement proposals

Secondary teachers will consider proposals for the settlement of their collective agreement over the next three weeks.

Negotiators from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association and Ministry of Education officials have agreed on a comprehensive set of proposals for the settlement of the three-year agreement.

“It is a substantial package worth more than $270 million over three years and attempts to establish a platform to rebuild the secondary service,” PPTA President Phil Smith said.

He said the agreement had been informed by the recommendations of the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Teacher Remuneration and followed extensive consultation between PPTA and the Ministry of Education.

“After the 2001-02 round, many PPTA members wanted a new way of working. The Ministerial Taskforce and our work with the Education Ministry has enabled us to develop a set of proposals focusing not just on the next three years, but also on the future.”

The proposals include a number of initiatives to strengthen and support secondary teachers: Annual pay increases ranging from 8.74% to 13% over three years. A targeted middle management package addressing pay and workload issues. Guaranteed non-contact time for teachers with management units from 2005. Increased non-contact time for all secondary teachers from 2006. A mechanism for delivering non-contact time to part-time teachers. The creation of classroom specialist positions in each school with special time and salary allowances (4 hours and $6,500 respectively). 15 paid sabbatical leave positions from 2006 and 30 from 2007. Further constructive engagement between PPTA and the Ministry will continue through work programmes on teacher workload, professional development, new practice-based teaching qualifications, career pathways, extension of the sabbatical scheme, and the working environment in secondary schools.

Phil Smith said the outcomes from the work programmes would form the basis for a range of possible improvements to teachers’ working conditions, which could be phased in from as early as 2005.

At the same time, work would continue on resolving outstanding issues for G3 (degree-equivalent) teachers.

“I am confident that if this package is ratified by PPTA members we will have laid a solid foundation for making secondary teaching a more attractive and worthwhile profession,” Mr Smith said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media