It may not be what they wanted but after months of industrial action, Rotorua secondary school teachers are pleased they've reached a settlement with the Government.
The Post Primary Teachers Association had been demanding better pay and conditions from the Government and had rejected numerous offers over the past seven months.
But
on Monday they confirmed a collective agreement with the Ministry of Education with 86 per cent support.
Trained secondary teachers will receive an average pay increase of 1.6 per cent a year over the term of the agreement.
They will also get a one-off lump sum payment of $300.
Untrained teachers will get a one-off payment of $800, but no percentage increase to their pay scale.
The agreement is effective as of today and will expire in January 2013.
PPTA Rotorua representative Rae Brown, from Western Heights High School, said teachers weren't thrilled with the agreement reached but were pleased the long-term industrial action was finally over - for now.
"It's nowhere near what we wanted but in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake it was clear we weren't going to get any more."
But Ms Brown said it was only a short-term agreement - less than two years - and they would approach the Government again in 2013.
The agreement also adds 2775 middle management allowances by 2013, and establishes a Secondary School Staffing Group to explore issues related to class size and teacher numbers.
The group will report to the Secretary for Education, Karen Sewell, by September 30.
Ms Brown was pleased the Government had finally acknowledged issues like class size.
"The pay increase wasn't great but we were going more for conditions," she said.
Secondary Schools Association president and John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh acknowledged teachers wanted more but he was pleased the negotiations were over.
