School Caretakers', Cleaners', Canteen and Ground Staff Collective Agreement

4.1.1 Except as otherwise provided Part 4 shall apply to groundstaff employees only.

4.1.2 A “Senior Groundskeeper” is a groundstaff n employee who is either:

1. 1. Responsible for one or more permanent ground staff; or
   2. A groundskeeper in a sole charge capacity (see 4.1.3 below) who the employer has appointed to be a Senior Groundskeeper because of either:
      1. being required and able to do job-related maintenance work of a significant nature which they are legally able to perform and which would normally be done by a registered or qualified tradesperson; or
      2. being required and able to perform duties to a high-level of skill, expertise, and responsibility.

4.1.3 A “Groundskeeper” is a ground staff employee in a sole charge capacity who is responsible for groundskeeping duties, or an assistant groundskeeper so designated by the employer in recognition of their skills, performance and abilities.

4.1.4 An "Assistant Groundskeeper” is a ground staff employee, overseen by a Senior Groundskeeper, who has the knowledge and experience to carry out efficiently, various classes of groundskeeping duties requiring almost as much technical knowledge and skill as a groundskeeper. 

4.1.5 A “Grounds Labourer” is a ground staff employee who is not required to perform duties of any considerable degree of judgement, responsibility, knowledge or experience. Progression will be at the discretion of the Board and subject to a requirement for, and ability to perform, the role of an Assistant Groundskeeper. 

4.1.6 It is not the intention of the parties that any employee defined in 4.1.1-4.1.5 above should be assigned a lower grade because of the coming into force of this agreement.

4.2.1 Minimum hourly pay rates for ground staff are as follows:

4.2.2 An employee engaged for less than 40 hours per week is considered part-time and shall be paid 1/40 of the appropriate full-time weekly rate for each ordinary hour of employment.

4.3.1 Ordinary hours of work shall not exceed 40 per week or 8 per day to be worked, Monday to Saturday inclusive. This can be worked as five consecutive days between Monday to Saturday or over six days where an employee has a half day off during the week and works on Saturday morning.  

4.3.2 By agreement between the employer and the employee they may work Monday to Friday inclusive up to two additional hours per day at ordinary pay, in substitution for any other ordinary day, or part thereof, provided adjustment is made in the same pay week.

4.3.3 Rest and meal breaks will be provided in accordance with the Employment Relations Act 2000.

Note: at the time of settlement the Act provides that: if an employee’s work period is more than 2 hours but not more than 4 hours, the employee is entitled to one 10-minute paid rest break. If the employee’s work period is over 4 hours they are also entitled to a 30 minute unpaid meal break and if it is over 6 hours they are also entitled to a second 10 minute paid rest break.

4.4.1 Except as provided in 4.3.4, all time required to be worked in excess of eight hours per day shall be paid at a rate of time and one half.

4.4.2. Except as provided in 4.3.1 in relation to Saturday morning work, all time worked on a Saturday or Sunday shall be paid at the rate of time and a half. Such work shall attract a minimum payment as for two hours worked.

A ground staff employee who holds a current first aid certificate and is a designated first aider at the school shall be paid an allowance of 35 cents per hour.

The employer shall provide a ground staff employee one pair of steel toe capped safety boots on commencement of duties and provide a replacement pair on a fair wear and tear basis provided this is not less than 12 months after the previous replacement. An employee whose employment terminates before the completion of 12 months following the supply of boots shall either return the boots or refund to the employer one-twelfth of the cost for each month not served.

4.7.1 The Secondary and Area School Groundstaff Collective Agreement (2002-2003) Part 2 provided a process whereby an employee could choose to retain a previous set of entitlements entered into prior to that settlement; however at any time during the collective the employee could move to the remuneration provisions under that collective agreement.

4.7.2 Upon the coming into force of this agreement the employee may choose to retain those entitlements or move to the remuneration provisions under this collective agreement. This choice shall be notified to the employer as soon as possible.

4.7.3 An employee who chooses to retain their prior entitlements (which existed before the 2002–2003 settlement) may choose to move to the remuneration provision of this agreement at any time, subject to notification to the employer.

A ground staff employee entitled to retirement leave as pursuant in Part 2 ("Transition to Collective Agreement") of the Secondary and Area Groundstaff Collective Agreement 2002-2003, will continue to maintain that entitlement, as set out in Appendix C.