New IEAs available for primary teachers and speech language therapists#

Category Employment Relations  

This circular is about the new IEAs for primary teachers and speech language therapists, as of 11 March 2026.

It is intended for presiding members of school boards of all state and state-integrated schools employing primary teachers and/or speech language therapists.

For more information contact Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa | New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA) for employment advice.

Phone: 0800 782 435

Email: [email protected]

Primary teachers and speech language therapists play an essential and valued role in schools. While many teachers whose work falls within coverage of the Primary Teachers’ (including Deputy and Assistant Principals and other Unit Holders) Collective Agreement 2023-2025 (PTCA) have progressed annually through step-based increases over the last few years, the majority of primary teachers are on their qualification maximum.

As printed rates themselves have not increased since December 2024 most teachers will not have received a pay increase since then. The Public Service Commissioner has decided to promulgate new Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) that include increased salary and unit rates.

The new IEAs for permanent staff and long-term relievers have been promulgated on 11 March 2026 and can be offered to current and new employees who are not members of NZEI Te Riu Roa (NZEI).  A new IEA for short-term relievers will be promulgated shortly.

Bargaining with NZEI for a new PTCA continues, and the Public Service Commissioner remains committed to concluding bargaining for a new collective agreement.

For current and new employees who are not NZEI members to access updated pay rates and conditions, both the employee and employer will need to sign a new IEA.

Full clause wording and pay rates are available in the IEAs on the Ministry’s website:

Primary teachers' collective and individual employment agreements

Actions#

• Note the details of the IEAs, including the new pay rates.
• Offer the IEA to all current Primary Teachers and Speech Language Therapists who are not members of NZEI. 
• Offer IEAs to new employees.
• Note employees must be advised that they can seek independent advice about the offered IEA and given reasonable opportunity to do so.
• Consider any issues that the employee raises and respond to them.
• Advise Education Payroll Limited (EPL) when the employee has signed the new IEA by completing an EP22 form.
• For new employees, schools will need to load the new employee on the payroll in the usual manner.

Features of the new IEAs#

• Increase to printed pay rates by 2.5%, effective on the date the IEA is signed by the board and employee.
• Increase to printed pay rates by 2.0% for those on steps 1-8, on 28 January 2027.
• Increase to printed pay rates by 2.1% for those on steps 9 and 10, on 28 January 2027 (2% for speech language therapists).
• Increase to unit value to $5,100 (from $4,500), effective on the date the IEA is signed by the board and employee.
• Increase to unit value to $5,250, on 28 January 2027.
• Changes to clauses 2.10.2 – 2.10.5 (term breaks and other times when schools are not open for instruction).
• Changes to disregarded sick leave (clause 4.3).

Remuneration#

EPL are responsible for processing payments to employees. The new pay rates and increase to units may not be processed by EPL until 9 June 2026. The employee will be entitled to a pay rise from the date this agreement is signed by both parties if this is before 9 June 2026.

Base salary scale for trained teachers#

The Base Salary Scale for Trained Teachers in clause 3.2 of the PTCA is replaced with:

Salary scale for untrained employees#

The salary scale for untrained employees in clause 3.4 of the PTCA is replaced with:

Salary scale, appointment and progression for speech language therapists#

A new base scale for speech language therapists is inserted into your employment agreement immediately under the base salary scale for trained teachers in clause 3.2 of the PTCA.

Base scale for speech language therapists