Inside the big pay bump teachers are rejecting as they prepare to strike

New primary teachers could receive an 11.7% rise over two years in the Government’s latest pay offer, while the highest paid primary teachers would get 7.6%, as thousands prepare to strike next week to push for a better offer.

Teachers are looking for an offer that meets inflation at 7.2%, while also making concessions around staffing issues – teacher-student ratios in particular.

After an initial offer was rejected, a second offer from the Government to primary teachers included a $4000 increase to salaries from December 2022, and a further 3% or $2000 (the higher figure) to salaries from December this year.

There would also be a one-off $750 for NZEI union members and another $500 for all teachers on December 1, both pro-rata. There would be an increase to release time for teachers.

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NZEI union president Mark Potter said by having a staggered payment, “once you put it together it doesn’t add up to two years of inflation”.

Behind closed doors the Government remains frustrated by the rejection of what it thinks are good pay offers, around or above inflation.

Under the Government’s latest offer, new primary teachers entering on the first step of the salary scale would be paid 7.8% more once the collective agreement was signed and 11.7% more overall during the settlement period.

Those working at the top end of the teaching pay scale would receive pay increases at a total of 7.6%.

The second pay increase would see teachers receiving about $115 more a week, before tax.

Once the second increase was implemented, about 6000 teachers at the top end of the salary scale would be earning at least $100,000.

NZEI confirmed it would join scores of kindergartens, area and secondary schools teachers in industrial action on Thursday after 30,000 members voted to strike, after rejecting the Government’s second offer.

Asked about those likely to get an 11.7% rise, Potter said that focused on only a small part of the workforce.

“Members … have to think of everyone. Whilst that … does come across favourably to younger teachers, it doesn’t address the big issues.

“It’s not just about the pay.”

He said reducing teacher to student ratios would go a “significant way” in resolving some of the challenges teachers were facing.

“It’s the investment we need. Successive governments have not put enough in. If you don’t start investing we’re going to lose teachers at a greater rate.”

He said there was a steadily declining number of people enroling to become a teacher.

“We have an ageing teaching population. We’re just not seeing those younger teachers coming through,” he said.

“There are other professions that will pay you sooner and higher as you progress. The conditions aren’t that great.”

Education Minister Jan Tinetti said she had “huge respect for the work our teachers do and am disappointed about the breakdown in negotiations”.

She would not comment on what was discussed in the bargaining process, but said she had been assured the Ministry of Education was focussed on reaching settlements to “address key priorities and give members certainty for the future”.

The average pay for a primary teacher in 2021 overall was $84,000.

A new primary teacher without specialist qualifications would have started on $47,039 in 2017.

Secondary school teachers’ last offer from the Government was $4000 in the first year after settlement and $2000 in the second – a combined increase of 6.7% for most teachers, PPTA said.

It wanted inflation adjustments to the base pay scale and allowances, a backdated 7.3% increase from July 2022, an increase of 6.4% from July 1, 2023 and a 3.5% increase from July 2024.

Correction: Figures provided to Stuff originally had the second primary teacher pay offer as a 6.7% rise for the highest paid teachers over the settlement, this was corrected to 7.6%. March 11, 2.47pm