Pay increases for secondary teachers

Secondary teachers around the country are celebrating their third annual pay increase of 3% today as negotiated in the 2004 Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement, says PPTA President Debbie Te Whaiti.

The increases are tied to the median labour cost index, meaning members’ salaries are measured against other parts of the economy so keep pace with change.

Debbie Te Whaiti says this is important both for retention of teachers and also for ensuring that the profession is seen as an attractive option by people considering teaching as a career.

The salary increases are part of a package negotiated in the 2004 agreement. This saw the Government, PPTA and School Trustees Association commit to a long-term plan to raise teachers’ professional capability, improve recruitment and retention and develop a constructive approach to industrial relations.

In addition to the pay increases, results of this process continue to build with funding approved for significant initiatives such as senior subject advisers to help teachers with NCEA assessment; a new medical retirement provision for secondary teachers and workload relief for curriculum leaders with beginning teachers.

Today’s increase is the final instalment from the 2004 agreement. Preliminary discussions about the next three-year agreement have already begun within the PPTA membership.

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