Minister Judith Collins apologises for ‘mixing the message’ over secondary school teachers’ pay

Public Service Minister Judith Collins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Public Service Minister Judith Collins has apologised for “mixing the message” when claiming that secondary school teachers with 10 years’ experience get paid $147,000.

It comes as unionised secondary school teachers prepare to strike on Wednesday after negotiations with the Government broke down.

Collins said the PPTA striking after only six days bargaining without taking the offer (1% a year for three years) to members was appalling, disingenuous and a “political stunt” that would disrupt students as they prepared for important exams.

The union said it did not take the offer to members because it was so far below their expectations and “what’s disingenuous – and deliberately dis-informative – are the Minister’s false claims about what teachers earn”.

Speaking to media in the hours after the union announced plans to strike last week, Collins (incorrectly) said she thought on average a teacher with 10 years’ experience was paid about $140,000.

A Parliament press release sent about the same time correctly stated a secondary school teacher with that experience could earn up to $147,000 and that the average salary for secondary teachers was $100,000.

The following morning, Collins said on Newstalk ZB: “if you’ve got 10 years’ experience, with the normal allowances that most would be getting, that’s $147,000 a year and you add in that the fact that there is three months paid leave, now who else gets that?”

Collins’ office on Monday said more than 450 secondary teachers (1.8%) earned more than $140,000. They also said more than 15,000 (approximately 60%) secondary teachers earn more than $100,000 and more than 8000 earned $110,000 to $140,000.

The PPTA collective agreement shows the rate for secondary school teachers on step 11 (the highest step) as of December 2024 was $103,086.

Ministry of Education data for 2024 states the average income for a secondary school teacher was $100,933.

A statement from Collins’ office on Monday said she “apologises for mixing the message verbally” but reiterates “that the key point remains that teachers are not underpaid”.

“Their pay has increased 14.5% over the past three years and the offer on the table represents a 3% increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of 4 to 7.5%.”

The PPTA said there were currently 16,400 union member teachers on the top $103,086 band. Teachers who take on additional responsibilities (such as head of department) get paid extra units (between $2000-$5000 per unit).

“The vast majority of secondary teachers with 10 years’ experience earn a salary of $103,000,” the union said.

“The only non-principals earning $140K or more are deputy principals in very large secondary schools, and there are about 20 – 30 of these around the country.”

Collins said the PPTA had chosen “disruption over dialogue” and strikes put undue pressure on families.

She said parents and caregivers are forced to make alternative arrangements when their schools are no longer operating as normal. She urged the PPTA to return to the bargaining table.

Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said it was “shameful” to make “misleading claims about [teachers’] pay”.

“I’ve heard from many teachers who dispute these claims and are upset at the lengths this Government is going to undermine them.”

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.