Ministry response to NZEI Te Riu Roa ballot result

Iona Holsted, Secretary for Education:

"NZEI members have voted to reject the Ministry’s revised offer to settle primary principals’ and teachers’ collective agreements."

"We now invite NZEI to return to the bargaining table to discuss options for settling the collective to meet their member’s priorities within the $698 million package.

"Following facilitated bargaining (in November), the Employment Relations Authority described the $698 million as ‘handsome and competitive’. The Authority also acknowledged the commitment of the Government to working with teachers to gradually address the sector’s needs. This includes the current activity on workload and supply.

We are addressing NZEI’s concerns about workload:

-The Government spending an extra $500 million for learning support.

-The Government providing $40 million to boost teacher supply in the short to medium term.

-We are working with the sector to develop a long-term Education Workforce strategy.

-We have a joint taskforce with teachers and principals to identify compliance-related administrative tasks that can be reduce or eliminated to free up time for principals and teachers to teach.

-An Education Professional’s Well-being Framework has been endorsed and a plan for rolling it into our schools is underway.

"We remain committed to continuing bargaining in good faith and minimising any further disruption for students’ learning and parents remains a priority. It is only by negotiation we will settle this long-running dispute."

For more information on the offer to Primary principals and teachers visit: http://www.education.govt.nz/news/revised-offer-to-primary-principals-and-teachers/.

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