Source: New Zealand Government
Education Minister Erica Stanford welcomes the decision by Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche to enable school boards to offer primary teachers new pay agreements. The move benefits around 10,000 primary teachers who are not bound by the NZEI Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement.
“From today, school boards will be able to offer primary teachers, who are not part of the union and employed on individual employment agreements (IEAs), new agreements, which will allow them to receive pay increases of up to 4.7 percent within 12 months. These increases are comparable to those accepted by their secondary counterparts last year,” Ms Stanford says.
“Teachers have right to a contract and is fair and reasonable that nearly a third of primary school teachers, who are not part of the NZEI, should be offered a contract so they can receive the pay increases that the Government has already offered.
“This would equate to approximately $50 to $76 each week and is pay that non-union teachers could already be receiving if not impacted by the NZEI’s ongoing approach to bargaining.
“I know the Commissioner did not come by this decision lightly. However, he has made his concerns on the delays in primary teacher bargaining very clear.
“New IEAs will be available today through school boards for the primary teachers who are not a member of the NZEI Te Riu Roa union or bound by the NZEI Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement.
“Sir Brian will continue to negotiate with the NZEI in good faith, and everyone is hopeful the bargaining process will result in a new collective agreement being ratified for teachers who are bound by the NZEI Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement. In the interim, the priority is to ensure that at least 30 percent of primary teachers can lock in pay increases without further delay.”
Media contact: Michael van der Kwast +64 21 875 347
Notes to editors: New Individual Employment Agreement for Primary Teachers
- Pay increase of 4.5% – 4.7% within 12 months:
- Teachers on the top two steps of the scale receive a cumulative pay increase of 4.7% by January 2027. This is comprised of a 2.5% increase on 20 March 2026 and a further 2.1% increase on 28 January 2027.
- Teachers moving up the scale (on steps 1-8) will continue to receive annual step increases along with a 4.5-4.6% pay increase by 28 January 2027. This is comprised of a 2.5% increase on 20 March 2026, and a further 2% increase on 28 January 2027.
- Management Units Increase to $5,250: All unit holders will receive an increase to the value of salary units from $4,500 to $5,250 (16.7% increase to the rates that units are paid).
All primary teachers who accept the new IEA will receive a cumulative pay increase of at least 4.5% on printed rates in the Base Salary Scale from the start of the 2027 school year.
This means teachers who are at the top of the pay scale will see their base salary increase to $107,886 per annum from the beginning of next school year, and this is before units and allowances are included. For the many teachers who hold one or more than units, this increase will be even higher.
Primary teachers who hold at least one unit will receive an overall 5.1% to 5.4% salary increase within 11 months of settlement.
Budget 2025 has already provided for teaching council certification costs to be met until 2028, saving teachers up to $550 per renewal.
LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/12/new-pay-deal-for-primary-teachers-welcomed/