School, kindergarten teachers' unions to speed up process for higher pay, better working conditions

NZEI Te Riu Roa has voted to speed up the settlement of their collective agreements for better pay and wokring conditions. Photo / 123rf

The country's largest education union has voted to speed up the settlement of its members' collective agreements, as the NZEI Te Riu Roa demands better pay and staffing and working conditions.

Union delegates representing 48,000 members endorsed a decision to hold nationwide meetings in the new school term to process the employment contracts.

NZEI Te Riu Roa said: "Tens of thousands of primary and early childhood educators are readying themselves to... secure a commitment to fixing the understaffing that affects the quality of education our tamariki receive."

Union President Liam Rutherford said the depth of feeling at the union's annual conference Hui-ā-Tau in Rotorua was overwhelming.

Liam Rutherford, President of NZEI Te Riu Roa, pictured in 2018, says: "the steep rise in the cost of living and increasing job demands... have taken their toll on educator wellbeing." Photo / NZME

"The steep rise in the cost of living and increasing job demands on educators have taken their toll on educator wellbeing.

"We are expecting a swift response from the government which needs to urgently improve their working conditions and hauora."

The union said, "better-than-expected final figures from this year's Budget, released today by Finance Minister Grant Robertson, would set the tone for next year's spending."

Rutherford said it was "imperative" the Government made education a focus next year.

The union had earlier voiced its disappointment that Budget 2022 did not fix understaffing and increased work demand issues in schools and kindergartens.

"For people working in primary education, it looks like another year of frustration and another year of worrying about how under-staffing and inadequate support affect the education our tamariki are receiving," Rutherford said.

"What is concerning is that the last two years dealing with Covid-19 have exacerbated the issues that are leading to diminished feelings of wellbeing, increased stress and greater rates of burnout.

"That doesn't help our educators provide the learning environment we want our children to have."

NZEI Te Riu Roa members will receive information at the start of term 4 with details of their meetings.