Primary Principals To Vote On Pay Offer

Primary Principals To Vote On Pay Offer

Wellington * Primary principals will be meeting throughout the country to consider a pay offer negotiated by their union, NZEI Te Riu Roa.

Key aspects of the offer are:

· An average pay increase of 8% for primary principals

· An average pay increase of 13% for principals of special schools.

· A 33% increase in the allowance for principals of Normal Schools. The allowance rises from $1636 a year to $2000. These schools work with Colleges of Education in training students to become teachers.

· The new collective agreement to have a term of nine months from August 1 to April 30, 2004.

· Establishment of a working party on professional growth for principals involving representatives from NZEI Te Riu Roa, the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA). It would look at how to develop the professional skills principals need to be effective leaders of their schools as well as the initiatives required to support professional growth such as paid study leave and sabbatical leave. It would also examine principals' workload. The working party would produce a report with recommendations to the Minister of Education by March next year.

· Establishment of a working party to look at how principals are appointed again involving NZEI Te Riu Roa, the Ministry of Education and NZSTA. It would develop guidelines for the hiring of principals that follow a best practice process. The working party would deliver a report and recommendations to the Minister of Education no later than December 1 this year.

· Agreement from 2004 that when schools are merged the position of principal for the new school will be advertised. NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Ministry of Education would meet to discuss mergers that are underway to sort out an appointment process for the affected schools before the mergers take place next year."

There are 2026 primary principals covered by the collective agreement. They will be voting on the offer at meetings throughout the country starting on August 21 and ending on September 10.

"The negotiating team is recommending that primary principals accept this offer," says NZEI Te Riu Roa National President, Bruce Adin.

"It would deliver an average pay increase of 8%. It would also enable the union to sit down with the Ministry of Education and the School Trustees Association in two separate working parties to address some major issues for principals, professional development and workload and the way principals are appointed," says Bruce Adin.

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