Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement (STCA)

This section sets out the components of the settlement of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA) 2022 – 2025.

This agreement has been settled between the Secretary for Education and the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association | Te Wehengarua (PPTA). It shall be subject to ratification by PPTA members pursuant to section 51 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

The terms outlined in this document are valid for ratification by PPTA members provided ratification is confirmed and the new collective agreement is signed no later than 5pm on 11 August 2023.

1. Term of agreement

The parties agree that the term of this agreement is three years from 3 July 2022 to 2 July 2025, provided this agreement is signed by 5pm on 11 August 2023.

2. Remuneration

The parties agree that the Unified Base Salary Scale for Trained Teachers will be renewed for the term of the agreement and will provide three increases: 6% effective from 3 July 2023, followed by 4% on 3 April 2024, 3.9% from 2 December 2024 to each step of the UBSS.

Additionally, from 3 July 2023, steps 1 and 2 of the UBSS are merged with a new minimum rate of $56,757 as shown below:  

Unified Base Salary Scale for Trained Teachers: 

Translation rules and scenarios explaining movement to the revised scale are contained in the attached Annexe 1.

The parties agree to increase the minimum and maximum pay rates for untrained teachers, as shown below: 

Untrained Teachers

3. Additional Payments

Partnership with PPTA Te Wehengarua

• In recognition of the value in their ongoing and productive relationship, including their joint efforts to build an environment in which the teaching profession is highly regarded, sustainable, and is fit for now and the future of learning, the parties agree that employees who are members of PPTA Te Wehengarua on 31 July 2023 and are bound by the STCA as at the date of ratification are entitled to receive:
  • A one-off gross payment of $1,500, pro-rated for part-time and day relief teachers; and
  • A one-off gross payment of $710, which has been calculated to provide a net of tax amount broadly equivalent to renewal of a teaching practicing certificate during the term of the agreement.

All Teachers

• The parties agree that all full-time teachers as at the date of ratification will receive a one-off gross payment of $5,000, pro-rated for part-time and day relief teachers.

Clause wording is in the attached track-changed collective agreement.

4. Teacher registration fees and levy

Beyond the lump sum to be provided to teachers, the parties agree to the central payment of the fee to gain a full practicing certificate for beginning teachers who hold a provisional practicing certificate, from 3 July 2023 for the rest of the duration of the renewed Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement. Currently the fees and levy amount to $512.37.

5. Pastoral Care Time Allowance

The parties agree to introduce 1,340 Pastoral Care Time Allowances of 0.25 FTTE. There will be 1,340 allowances available nationally from 28 January 2025. These allowances will be apportioned by roll and weighted to the Equity Index.

6. Increase to motor vehicle allowance rate

The parties agree to increase the reimbursement rates provided in Appendix D, clause 1.5 for motor vehicles and motorcycles from the date the new collective agreement is settled as follows:

• the motor vehicle allowance rate increases from 62 cents per kilometre to 83 cents per kilometre.
• the motorcycle rate increases from 20 or 17 cents per kilometre to a single rate of 31 cents per kilometre.

7. Community Liaison trial

The parties agree that a trial of the role of Community Liaison will run from 28 January 2024 to 27 January 2026. The purpose of the role is to support the achievement, wellbeing and retention of Māori and Pacific students in secondary schools, by supporting community and family involvement and cultural engagement; provide opportunities for teachers to develop their cultural leadership skills within the wider school community.

There will be 335 Community Liaison roles available for the trial. Allocation of these roles will be on a school-by-school basis within agreed region(s), determined by a base component plus a number weighted by the Māori and Pasifika rolls of the school. Consideration will be given in the first instance to those teachers already working to support Māori and Pasifika learners and their whānau and communities, as making such appointments will assist in the setting of a base line upon which to measure the success of the trial.

Holders of the Community Liaison role will be allocated a time allowance of 0.04 FTE and a salary payment of $1,000 per annum.

The trial will be subject to an evidence-based evaluation against measurable objectives. An interim report will be available to both parties by 30 May 2025 and a final evaluation report being made available by 31 July 2026. The aim should be to allow for at least one full academic year of the roles being in place before evaluation occurs.

8. Technology teacher qualification recognition – 6,000 hours post-qualification

The parties agree to recognise National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 5 and 6 trade or vocational qualifications for salary purposes, where the highest trade or vocational qualification is below Level 7 on the NQF, and the teacher has at least 6000 hours of applicable trade or vocational work experience.

9. Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance increases

The parties agree to increase the Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance (MITA) for immersion Level 1 and 2 from 17 July 2023 at the following rates:

10. Introduction of a Pacific Bilingual Immersion Teaching Allowance

The parties agree to introduce a Pacific Bilingual Immersion Teaching Allowance (PBITA) for immersion Levels 1 and 2 from 28 January 2024, at the following:

11. Prorated release non-contact time for part time teachers

The parties agree to introduce non-contact time for part-time teachers proportionate to that of a full-time teacher from 28 January 2025. From the same date the 11% salary loading will cease to apply to part time teachers. The parties will work together to develop guidance that ensures that no part-time teacher employed at the end of the 2024 school year and who continue to be employed on 28 January 2025 school year is disadvantaged due to the introduction of this provision.

12. Provisions consistent with the Holidays Act

The parties agree to update the wording of the collective agreement in relation to the Holidays Act to provide for a closedown from the day after the school closes for a school year during which teachers take their annual leave.

The provisions retain the current discretion and flexibility that teachers have over when and how they work during the remainder of their term breaks and other times when students are not required to be at school.

The agreed collective agreement wording:

• Confirms teachers are entitled to a period of annual leave as per the Holidays Act 2003, taken during a closedown, during which teachers cannot be asked to work or attend school.
• Affirms that, teachers should have discretion over how and where they work, as they do now, including during term breaks.
• Affirms that full-time teachers should be expected to work an average of 40 hours a week over the year unless the teacher has agreed to take on duties beyond those of a standard classroom teacher.

The parties also agree to remove the deduction of sick leave on weekend days thereby increasing the amount of sick leave available for teachers and confirms that teachers are entitled to at least 10 days sick leave each year, to take during the school terms. Importantly, the agreed translation rules will ensure that all teachers’ current sick leave balances are maintained or improved with the move to fully compliant sick leave.

The parties note that there will still be issues around how leave for teachers is paid and recorded on the Education Payroll which will take some time to address. However, separately there is a programme of work to identify and remediate Holidays Act related payments and issues. This includes identifying the changes that would be required for accurate payments for all forms of leave.

13. Middle Management Allowance (MMA) rate in Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

From 3 July 2023, the parties agree to increase this MMA rate to $2,000 per annum for consistency and the parties agree to remove the 100-allowance limit to the number that can be allocated.

14. Deletion of ‘occasional’ in 6.7.5 (refreshment leave)

The parties agree to amend the clause as follows:

A teacher may not take up a teaching position in another state or integrated school while on refreshment leave. This restriction does not preclude a teacher on refreshment leave agreeing to undertake short-term relief provided the total number does not exceed 10 days (or 50 hours) per term.

15. Short-Term Reliever Provisions

The parties agree to raise the maximum salary cap for short-term relief teachers from UBSS Step 5 (new step as at 3 July 2023) to Step 6 from 28 January 2024.

The parties agree to change the definition of the continuous period of employment for short-term relief from the current six weeks to three weeks.

16. Definition of Education Gazette

The parties agree to amend clause 1.8(a) as follows: “Advertised” means advertised online in the Education Gazette”.

17. Entitlement clarification and readability

The parties agree to other clause wording which updates and/or improves readability to entitlements for Removals Expenses, Parental Grant, Disregarded Sick Leave, acting in a Higher Position other than the Principal, Service Qualification Increment, Regional Health Schools Teachers, Salary Qualification Groups, job share apportioning and Surplus Staffing in school-initiated restructuring. Clause wording is in the attached track-changed collective agreement.

18. Cluster Employment

The parties agree to update provisions where teachers are employed to work with students across more than the one school (e.g., RTLB Clusters or Technology Centres) to simplify the administration where there is a change of host employer for these teachers.

19. Learning Support Coordinator role recognition and clarification

The parties recognise the valuable role of the Learning Support Coordinator in the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement. Clause wording is in the attached track-changed collective agreement (see clause 4.27).  

20. Kāhui Ako Within School Teacher allowances

From 28 January 2024, the parties agree to changes in how schools in the Kāhui Ako can more flexibly allocate the current Within School Teacher allowances by dividing up to 50% of these into four responsibility allowances worth $2,000 per annum and two responsibility time allowances of 0.04 FTTE which may be allocated separately or in combination (and no less than 50% as Within School Teacher allowances worth $8,000 per annum and 0.08 FTTE time allowance), and that Kāhui Ako inquiry time will be removed. Clause wording is in the attached track-changed collective agreement.

21. Professional Learning and Development Fund

The parties agree to enter into a Professional Learning and Development Services Agreement on the terms recommended by the Arbitration Panel. Teachers may apply each year to the Professional Learning and Development Fund for approved activities. Applications will be assessed under the terms of the Fund agreed by the parties. Clause wording in the attached track-change collective agreement (see clause 3.16).

22. Related matters

We note that the Education Payroll will implement the lump sum payments by 5 September 2023 and the rest of the settlement by 18 October 2023, providing the collective agreement is signed by 11 August 2023.  

The PPTA agrees that the terms and conditions in the collective agreement will be offered to non-union employees.

23. Technical

We propose a series of technical changes to the agreement as reflected in the attached track-changed collective agreement.