Collective agreements

Access the current collective agreements and their relevant key dates.

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Required

  • All staff
  • Boards
  • Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu
  • Kindergarten Services

The terms of an employment agreement must be adhered to.

These are the current collective agreements setting out the terms and conditions of employment for principals, teachers and other staff in schools.

Find your collective agreement

Collective agreements covering most employees in the state and state-integrated education sector are available below.

You can also access a PDF version once you've selected the link to your relevant collective agreement.

Teachers

Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective 3 July 2022 to 2 July 2025

Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

Kindergarten Teachers, Head Teachers and Senior Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective 5 April 2023 to 4 April 2026

Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective 1 December 2022 to 2 July 2025

Principals

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

Primary Principals' (PPCBU) Collective Agreement
Effective 1 December 2022 to 1 May 2025

Secondary Principals' Collective Agreement
Effective 1 December 2022 to 1 May 2025

Area School Principals' Collective Agreement
Effective 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

Other staff

Support Staff in Schools’ Collective Agreement
Effective 20 June 2022 to 19 December 2024

School Caretakers', Cleaners', Canteen and Ground Staff Collective Agreement
Effective 14 November 2022 to 13 November 2024

Kaiārahi i te Reo and Therapists' Collective Agreement
Effective 20 June 2022 to 19 December 2024

Specialist Residential Schools' Collective Agreement
Effective 11 December 2022 to 30 April 2025

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Specialist and Support Staff Collective Agreement
Effective 1 December 2022 to 1 December 2024

Community Education Collective Agreement
Effective 1 December 2022 to 27 February 2025

Minimum wage rate effective 1 April 2023

The minimum wage rate increased to $22.70 from 1 April 2023.

Anyone currently paid an hourly rate below the new minimum wage rate will automatically have their pay rate increased to $22.70 per hour from 1 April 2023.

Variations to collective agreements

There are several reasons why variations are made to collective agreements. Examples include: a pay equity claim settlement, a public sector pay adjustment (PSPA), or a variation in term. Variations will impact collective agreements in different ways. See below for additional information about variations to different collective agreements.

Variations to the Support Staff in Schools' and Kaiārahi i te Reo and Therapists' Collective Agreements

Collective agreement dates

The initiation date is the date the bargaining process can begin. The initiation date is the date the bargaining process can begin. Either party can initiate bargaining from 60 days before the collective agreement expires.

The start and expiry dates for a collective agreement are agreed by both parties in bargaining.

Note about expiry dates

The expiry of a collective agreement does not necessarily mean the end of the agreement. 

Clause 53 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 says an expired collective agreement continues to be enforceable for a further 12 months, provided the union or the employer had, before the expiry date, initiated bargaining to replace the agreement.

Clause 53: Employment Relations Act 2000(external link)

Teachers and principals

Collective
agreements

Union(s)

Start date and expiry date

Primary Teachers

New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa
(NZEI Te Riu Roa)

3 July 2023 to 
2 July 2025 

Secondary Teachers

Post Primary Teachers' Association
(PPTA)

3 July 2022 to
2 July 2025

Kindergarten Teachers, Head Teachers and Senior Teachers

NZEI Te Riu Roa

5 April 2023 to
4 April 2026

Area School Teachers

PPTA and NZEI Te Riu Roa

3 July 2023 to
2 July 2025

Primary Principals

NZEI Te Riu Ria

3 July 2023 to
2 July 2025

Primary Principals

Primary Principals' Collective Bargaining Union

1 December 2022 to
1 December 2024

Secondary Principals

PPTA and Secondary Principals' Association
of New Zealand (SPANZ)

1 December 2022 to
1 December 2024

Area School Principals

PPTA and NZEI Te Riu Roa

3 July 2024 to
2 July 2025

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu 
Early Childhood

NZEI Te Riu Roa

1 December 2022 to 
30 November 2024

Other staff in schools

Collective
agreements

Union(s)

Start date and expiry date

Specialist Residential Schools

Public Service Association (PSA)

11 December 2022 to
30 April 2025

School Caretakers', Cleaners, Canteen and Ground Staff

E tū

14 November 2022 to
13 November 2024

Community Education

PPTA

1 December 2022 to 
27 February 2025

Support Staff in Schools

NZEI Te Riu Roa and E tū

20 June 2022 to
19 December 2024

Kaiārahi i te Reo and Therapists

NZEI Te Riu Roa

20 June 2022 to
19 December 2024

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu
Specialist and Support Staff

NZEI Te Riu Roa

1 December 2022 to
1 December 2024

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