Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Early Childhood Teachers' Collective Agreement

4.1.1 The following salary rates are payable to teachers covered by this agreement from the dates specified.

4.1.2 Part Time Teachers: The salaries set out in 4.1.1, above shall be prorated where a teacher is employed for less than full time.

4.1.3 A short-term reliever shall be paid either:

1. at the rate of 1/190 of the appropriate annual salary for each day worked (inclusive of holiday pay), provided the maximum daily rate payable shall not exceed 1/190 of step 6 on the base salary scale; or
2. if employed on an hourly basis, the hourly pay rate shall be 1/950 of the applicable annual rate to a maximum of step 6 on the base scale (inclusive of holiday pay).

4.1.4 A short-term reliever shall not be paid for less than two hours per day of relief and, if there is a break in duties of one and a half hours or more, an allowance equivalent to one hours pay shall be paid.

4.1.5 The pay rates and calculations for short term relievers outlined above are also subject to clause 4.9 of this Agreement which provides for a Unified Pay System between primary and early childhood teachers at Te Kura.

4.1.6 Where a part-time teacher increases their weekly hours i.e., to meet a temporary demand on the employer, the additional hours shall be paid at the employee’s ordinary pay rate and not at the short-time reliever rates identified in clause 4.1.3 of this Agreement.

4.2.1 Units may be allocated to teachers on a permanent basis, to positions with permanent responsibilities, and to individuals given additional responsibilities at a higher level for a fixed term, and may be given to teachers seconded to Te Kura for a specified fixed term. Positions with responsibilities will be assigned units according to the degree of responsibilities assigned to these positions. The number of units assigned will be determined each time there is a vacancy or if changes to the job description require adjustments to the units.

4.2.2 Units are paid at the rate of $4,000 and are additional salary regardless of the level of aggregation. They are paid at the substantive rate (i.e. not divisible) to both full-time and part-time teachers. The only circumstance in which units may be proportioned is in an approved full-time job share position.

4.2.3 Fixed term units, allocated for any reason, will be paid in addition to the teacher’s rate of pay, including any permanent units.

4.2.4 At the time of allocating a fixed term unit or units, the employer shall specify in writing either the period of time for which the teacher shall be entitled to that fixed-term unit or units, or the particular assignment or task to be undertaken for which the fixed-term unit or units has been allocated.

4.2.5 The entitlement to that fixed-term unit or units shall cease at the expiry of the specified period of time or on the completion of the specified assignment or task.

4.2.6 The employer may reallocate a fixed-term unit or units to the same or another teacher for a further period of time or for a further particular assignment or task.

4.3.1 Team Leaders will be paid on the teachers’ scale according to their qualifications and length of service and in addition will be paid management units for responsibility.

4.4.1 The salary of each teacher to whom this agreement applies shall be classified in a salary qualification group by the employer based on the qualifications group notations below.

4.4.2 From 1 July 2019 the Qualification Group Notations for the base salary scale entry points (E) and base scale maximum points (M) for each qualification group are defined below:

Q1, Q2 and Q3 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand but no subject or specialist qualification at level 7 or above on the NZQF, or equivalent overseas teaching qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

Q3+ for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issues by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

• a subject or specialist level 7 qualification on the NZQF (i.e. not an initial teacher education qualification) which can e a Diploma (excluding a National Diploma), Graduate diploma or Degree; or
• an honours degree of teaching; or
• equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA or an overseas qualification where NZQA has determined that the qualification has level 7 (graduate) study in a subject or specialist area(s) i.e. any area of study that is not initial teacher education.

Q4 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

• a subject or specialist level 8 qualification on the NZQF which can be an honours degree or a Post Graduate Diploma; or
• two subject or specialist level 7 qualifications on the NZQF (as listed above); or
• a masters degree of teaching; or
• equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

Q5 for teachers who hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Teaching council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

• a subject or specialist level 9 qualification on the NZQF – masters or doctorate; or
• equivalent overseas qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

Note: The Qualifications Chart will continue to be used to inform judgements about qualifications unable to be allocated a level by reference to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

4.4.3 Salary on Appointment - A teacher on appointment or reappointment shall be paid at the appropriate salary scale step having regard to qualification group classification and any service recognised for salary purposes as follows:

1. 1. a teacher with no service credits, as defined in clause 2.5, will be paid on the relevant entry step for their qualification group as per clause 4.1.1.
   2. a teacher with service credits, as defined in clause 2.5, will be paid at the appropriate step for their qualification group, but no less than the relevant entry step as per clause 4.1.1.
   3. a teacher with overseas qualifications must have their qualifications recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority against the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF).

4.5.1 Upon obtaining the appropriate qualifications for one of the salary qualification groups set out in clause 4.4.3, a teacher shall be entitled to progress annually to the appropriate qualifications maximum, providing the teacher meets the requirements for progression.

4.5.2 Teachers who improve their qualification(s) and are eligible for a higher salary qualification group shall, on the effective date of improving the qualification(s), receive at least the minimum commencing step for the new qualification(s). The effective date for the improvement of qualification(s) to a higher group in this situation is:

1. Where qualifications are improved at the end of the academic year – the commencing date of the following school year, that is 28 January; or
2. Where qualifications are improved during an academic year – the date of the official notification from the relevant tertiary provider of achievement of the qualification(s).

4.5.3 Teachers who, in accordance with 4.5.1 above, have been held at the maximum point of the salary scale for their qualification group for one or more years of service for salary purposes and who subsequently improve their qualification(s) shall be entitled to progress one salary step towards the maximum step of their new qualification group from the effective date of improving their qualification(s). This date shall become their new anniversary date for salary progression purposes. The effective date for the improvement of qualification(s) to a higher salary group is the date of official notification from the relevant tertiary provider of achievement of the qualification(s).

4.6.1 For the purposes of determining annual progression from one step to the next, the teacher’s performance will be assessed annually against the professional standards agreed between the teachers and Te Kura and attached as Appendix Two.

4.6.2 When setting performance expectations and development objective/s with the individual teachers for the coming year, the standards against which the teacher is to be assessed should be confirmed between the teacher and the employer.

4.6.3 For each teacher to progress annually to their next step they will need to demonstrate that they meet the professional standards.

4.6.4

1. where a teacher has not met the standards throughout the assessment period they will be advised of the specific concerns and the Chief Executive may defer salary progression.
2. where salary progression has been deferred a timeframe will be agreed between the teacher and the Deputy Chief Executive during which the teacher will have the opportunity to address these concerns.
3.  
   1. if it is agreed that the teacher has demonstrated within the timeframe agreed in (b) above that they are meeting the appropriate standards, they will progress to the next step from the date of the second assessment. The teacher’s anniversary date for the purposes of progression only, would move to the date on which the teacher’s performance was deemed to have met the required standards.
   2. if the standards are not met at the conclusion of the timeframe agreed in (b) above the provisions of clause 7.3 will apply.

4.6.5 Local review process:

1. where a teacher disagrees with the deferral of their salary increment the teacher may, within 14 working days of being notified of the deferral, seek a review.
2. the teacher may be represented during the process.
3. the reviewer shall be a person nominated by the Board of Trustees and acceptable to the teacher. The reviewer may be another staff member but should not be someone connected with the original decision to defer progression. In the event that agreement cannot be reached on a reviewer within a reasonable time the Board shall determine who the reviewer shall be.
4. the reviewer will give the teacher and the Deputy Chief Executive fair opportunity to make representations.
5. the reviewer shall make recommendations to the Board within 30 days of receiving the teacher’s application for review.
6. the Board shall make a final decision within 14 days of receiving the recommendation.
7. where requested, the teacher shall have access to the information about him/herself provided to the Board by the reviewer.
8. nothing in this clause prevents the teacher from taking a personal grievance in accordance with Part 9 of this agreement.

4.7.1 The salaries of permanent teachers, excluding short-term relievers, shall be paid fortnightly by direct credit.

4.7.2 A short term reliever shall, wherever possible, be entitled to be paid within the current or immediately following pay period.

4.8.1 Where time off is to be unpaid including if a teacher is absent from work without authority, or otherwise in default, Te Kura may make the appropriate adjustment to the teacher’s base salary. Where this occurs the teacher will be notified.

4.9.1 The purpose of this clause is to maintain a Unified Pay System between primary and early childhood teachers employed at Te Kura.

4.9.2 The Secretary for Education shall, within one month of ratification of any collective agreement (or variation thereof) applicable to primary teachers

1. 1. notify the NZEI Te Riu Roa National Secretary of any new or changed base scale salary rates and unit values and payments across the board (but excluding payments made to individual teachers who meet specific criteria, such as allowances) in the other collective agreement;
   2. consult the National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa regarding the applicable terms and conditions that the Secretary for Education should include in the offer referred to in (c) below, including terms and conditions reflective of the agreement of the parties that the Secretary for Education is not obliged to offer terms and conditions that would result in early childhood teachers, during the term of this agreement, receiving a remuneration advantage over teachers covered by the other collective agreement referred to in (a) above; and
   3. offer by way of a variation to this collective agreement:
      1. 1. any such changed salary rates and unit values that are in excess of rates/values in this agreement;
         2. any across the board payments;
         3. any terms and conditions made in accordance with (b) above.

4.9.3 The National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa shall, within one month of receipt of the offer described in clause 4.9.2, advise the Secretary for Education whether NZEI Te Riu Roa wishes to accept such offer. The parties agree that upon receipt of NZEI Te Riu Roa’s acceptance of the offer the Agreement shall be deemed to be varied pursuant to clause 1.6 in the terms outlined in the offer as advised by the Secretary for Education.

4.9.4 The intention of this clause is to enable changes to the rates in the base salary scale; the value of units; and payments made across-the-board, together with the attached conditions, in the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement to apply to early childhood teachers covered by this agreement.

4.9.5 This clause shall apply from 1 December 2022 until 30 November 2024. Thereafter this clause will cease to apply and shall have no effect.

4.10.1 Teachers are eligible to join a KiwiSaver scheme in accordance with the terms of those schemes.

4.10.2 Employer or government contributions to retirement or superannuation schemes which are closed to new members (and include the State Sector Retirement Savings Scheme and the Government Superannuation Fund), shall continue in accordance with the terms of those schemes.

4.10.3 A teacher is not eligible to receive employer or government contributions to a KiwiSaver scheme where government or employer contributions are made to another retirement or superannuation scheme of which that teacher is a member.

Note: For information on retirement savings schemes to go to www.education.govt.nz