About the claim

The teachers’ pay equity claim covers kaiako, teachers and leaders who work in:

• primary, area and secondary state and state-integrated schools and kura
• early intervention services
• kindergartens.

Since tumuaki and principals are registered teachers, they are included in the claim.

The claim also names over 500 early learning education employers who have union members working in their centres.

The claim is a consolidation of 2 pay equity claims:

• a claim raised by NZEI Te Riu Roa on 6 November 2020
• a claim raised by the Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA) on 17 December 2020.

What is happening now

In early 2024, approximately 300 interviews were completed with a random sample of teachers and principals, and their supervisors, across the country. These interviews are helping paint a picture of the work of kaiako | teachers and leaders, including their skills, responsibilities, experience, working conditions and degrees of effort.

Together with union representatives, we developed a 'general area of responsibilities' report. This document summarises the interview findings.

These findings have been shared with kaiako | teachers and leaders. During the consultation, kaiako | teachers and leaders were asked to identify any aspects of their work that were not captured in the interviews.

We are now reviewing the responses to identify any responsibilities that are not included in the findings. We may conduct more interviews to ensure the full scope of kaiako | teachers' and leaders' responsibilities are covered.

Next steps

The assessment phase of the claim also includes a comparison of male-dominated occupations with levels of skill, knowledge and effort similar to teacher roles. We are currently exploring which male-dominated occupations are comparable to the work of teachers.

As the teachers’ pay equity claim covers a range of teaching roles and responsibilities, we expect to interview several comparator roles.

Notifying affected employees

Employees covered by claim are called "affected employees". Affected employees do work that is the same or substantially similar to the work covered by the claim.

In August 2021, we notified affected employees in schools, kura, kindergartens and the Ministry about the claim with a notification letter and factsheet.

Until the claim is settled, we are continuing to notify new employees who start a role in the state sector covered by the claim.

Affected employees working in some early learning centres will have been notified by their employer.

If you haven't received a notification letter and factsheet from us or your employer, contact us.

Email: [email protected]

Timeline of the claim so far

• 6 November 2020 – claim raised by NZEI Te Riu Roa on behalf of early learning and primary school teachers.
• 17 December 2020 – claim raised by the PPTA on behalf of intermediate and secondary school teachers.
• 21 July 2021 – claim deemed as 'arguable'.
• November 2021 to February 2022 – multi-employer process agreement (MEPA) for ECE employers agreed and signed.
• 16 September 2022 – Ngā Whenu Raranga endorsed. This is the ECE employers' approach to investigating the claim.
• In progress – assessment of ECE, kindergarten and school teachers' and principals' work.