Employer-union collaboration promotes Treaty partnership in schools

An updated publication, Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet their Good Employer Obligations to Māori is a great example of a collaborative approach paying dividends in the education sector, says NZSTA President Lorraine Kerr.

The revised guidelines were published this week by the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) and Post Primary Teachers Association to help boards of trustees consider practical ways to transform good intentions into practical actions for their Māori employees. The original guidelines were developed over 15 years ago to help boards and principals ensure that they are acting as good employers for their Māori employees.

"Being a good employer, like being a good teacher, depends on understanding the person in front of you - who they are as an individual, what their individual strengths are, and what support or encouragement they need to bring out their best.

"There are some things that Pākeha people and organisations tend to handle differently from Māori, and sometimes those things can create misunderstandings and tensions. Helping all boards of trustees to understand some of the things that are likely to make a difference for their Māori employees is in the interests of both our organisations.

"NZSTA would like to thank the PPTA for working with us on these guidelines over the years. It has been a very productive partnership," says Ms Kerr.

"We take our undertakings to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi very seriously. This is one way for us to show that ongoing commitment."

ENDS

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