Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement

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Primary Principals' (NZEI Te Riu Roa) Collective Agreement [PDF, 778 KB]

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Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz

Changes to the agreement

Read about the recent changes in the Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement.

Changes to the Primary Principals’ (NZEI) Collective Agreement 2023-25

Part 1: Coverage/Term of Agreement

Primary Principals' (NZEI) Collective Agreement
Effective: 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

  • 1.1 Parties and Coverage
    • 1.1.1 This Agreement is entered into by:

        1. The Secretary for Education (Secretary) acting under delegation from the Public Services Commissioner made pursuant to Clause 6 of Schedule 3 and acting in accordance with section 586(5) of the Education and Training Act 2020; and
        2. The New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI Te Riu Roa).

      1.1.2 This Agreement is binding on:

        1. Each principal who comes within the coverage set out in clause 1.1.3 and who is or who becomes a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa; and
        2. Every employer as defined in clause 1.4.3 below.

      1.1.3 This Agreement covers work undertaken in state and state-integrated schools by principals in:

        1. Primary schools (including normal schools, model schools and intermediate schools);
        2. Composite schools other than area schools;
        3. Specialist schools.

      1.1.4 Untrained or Unregistered Teachers

      Nothing in this Agreement shall apply to untrained or unregistered teachers.

  • 1.2 Name of Agreement
    • 1.2.1 This Agreement shall be called the Primary Principals’ (NZEI) Collective Agreement and referred to as “PPCA (NZEI)” or “the Agreement”.

  • 1.4 Definitions
    • The following definitions apply unless the Agreement otherwise specifies:

      1.4.1 “Area school” shall have the meaning ascribed in the Education (School Staffing) Order for the time being in force.

      1.4.2 “Composite school” shall mean a school classified as a composite school under the Education and Training Act 2020.

      1.4.3 “Employer” shall mean a School Board (Board) constituted pursuant to the Education and Training Act 2020 (or where a Commissioner has been appointed under sections 170 or 181 of the Education and Training Act 2020 to act in place of the Board, that Commissioner) of a state or state-integrated school that employs employees falling within the coverage as set out in clause 1.1.3.

      Note: In relation to a dispute about the interpretation, application or operation of this Agreement, the employer shall act, if the Secretary acting under delegation from the Public  Service Commissioner made pursuant to Clause 6 of Schedule 3 of the Public Service Act 2020 so requires, together or in consultation with the Secretary for Education acting in accordance with section 586 of the Education and Training Act Act 2020.

      1.4.4 "Institute" or "union" shall mean NZEI Te Riu Roa.

      1.4.5 "Primary school" shall mean a school classified as a primary school or an intermediate school under the Education and Training Act 2020.

      1.4.6 "Principal" shall mean a primary teacher who has been fully certificated or provisionally certificated or certificated subject to confirmation by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (Teaching Council) and who has been appointed pursuant to clause 2.2 to the position of principal.

      1.4.7 “Reorganised school” is the continuing school/s from the gazetted commencement date of reorganisation. This includes schools that have also decapitated or recapitated in addition to physically merging with another school or schools whether or not there is a change of class or designation.

      1.4.8 “School reorganisation process” shall mean a process which is Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga initiated and/or approved by the Minister of Education in which the future class, or designation, or structure of a school is being reviewed in conjunction with the future class, or designation, or structure of any other school or schools.

      1.4.9 “Specialist school” shall mean a school classified as a specialist school under the Education and Training Act 2020.

      1.4.10 "Secondment" shall mean a period during which a Principal is on leave without pay from their Employer, in order to undertake fixed term employment with a Specified Education Sector Agency.

      1.4.11 "Specified Eduction Sector Agency" means the Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, Education Review Office (ERO), New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), and the New Zealand Council for Education Research (NZCER).

  • 1.5 Declaration Pursuant to Act
    • 1.5.1 Pursuant to Section 595 of the Education and Training Act 2020 the Secretary acting pursuant to the delegated authority of the Public Service Commissioner has declared that all of the conditions contained in this Agreement are actual conditions of employment provided that the Secretary may, from time to time, give approval to the salary rates or allowances being treated as minimum rates where there is agreement to this between the employer and the principal.

  • 1.6 Variations Clause
    • 1.6.1 The parties agree that the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement may be varied at any time by written agreement between NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Secretary, acting under delegation from the Public Service Commissioner made pursuant to Clause 6 of Schedule 3 of the Public Service Act 2020 and acting in accordance with section 586 (5) of the Education and Training Act 2020. Any such variation agreed shall be binding on employees and employers of those employees covered by this Agreement in accordance with Section 586(6) of the Education and Training Act 2020.

  • 1.7 Additional Payments
    • 1.7.1 The parties to this Collective Agreement recognise the value in their ongoing and productive relationship, including their joint efforts to build an environment in which the teaching profession is highly regarded, sustainable, and is fit for now and the future of learning. Collective bargaining is a key part of those joint efforts.

      1.7.2 In recognition of the benefits arising out of the parties’ relationship, including NZEI Te Riu Roa’s role in negotiating terms and conditions for primary principals, each principal who is a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa will be paid:

        1. a one-off gross payment as follows to each principal who is a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa and is bound by this Agreement as at 29 June 2023:
          1. Full time principals: $2,000
          2. Part time principals: A pro-rated payment based on their full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) as at 29 June 2023.
        2. a one-off gross payment as follows to each principal who is a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa and is bound by this Agreement as at 1 December 2023:
          1. Full time principals: $1,000 
          2. Part time principals: A pro-rated payment based on their full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) as at 1 December 2023. 
        3. A further $710 one off gross payment. (the Teaching Council fees payment) to each principal who is a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa and is bound by this Agreement as at 29 June 2023. The Teaching Council fees payment is not pro-rated, but each principal is only entitled to be paid it once. This means that if a principal holds another role(s) that falls within coverage of this or another collective agreement that provides for a Teaching Council fees payment, they will still only receive one Teaching Council fees payment.  In such a case the Teaching Council fees payment shall only be paid to the principal under the collective agreement which is ratified first.

      1.7.3 Employees who are bound by this Agreement as at 29 June 2023 and on that day were on approved unpaid leave under Part 7 of this collective agreement are entitled, upon application, to receive the payments on their return to their position providing that they return on or before the end of Term 3, 2024 or on or before the start of Term 1, 2025 for those on parental leave. The payment will be based on the principal’s FTTE as at their last working day before going on leave.

      1.7.4 Additional payments for principals employed as at 3 July 2023

      A one-off gross payment of $1,500 will be paid to full-time principals employed as at 3 July 2023.

      The payment will be pro-rated for part-time principals based on their full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) as at 3 July 2023.

      Principals employed as at 3 July 2023 who on that day were on approved unpaid leave under Part 7 of this collective agreement are entitled, upon application, to receive the $1,500 payment on their return to their position providing that they return on or before the end of Term 3, 2024 or on or before the start of Term 1, 2025 for those on parental leave. For the $1,500 payment, the amount payable will be based on the principal’s FTTE as at their last working day before going on leave. 

      Note: Clause 1.7 will be removed in subsequent collective agreements.