Zero pay offer to most teacher aides and other school support staff

The Government has made a zero percent pay offer to the majority of teacher aides and other school support staff who will vote on the offer this week, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.

Support staff negotiations team leader Ally Kingi says:

"We asked the Government to make a fair pay offer that reflected how important our role is in supporting the learning of tamariki, and which alleviated the cost-of-living crisis. A zero percent pay increase and no offer on our other claims for better sick leave and job security clearly says the Government is not willing to step up and commit to improving our working lives and those of the tamariki we support."

NZEI Te Riu Roa President Mark Potter says:

"Support staff are critical to the running of every school in the country, and to supporting our most vulnerable learners. If this is a signal of how valued and respected school support staff are, we have grave concerns for how the Government will approach
pay increases across the education sector in 2025."

“This is the first collective agreement in the schooling sector to be renegotiated under the National-led coalition Government. If it is mirrored in offers made as part of the teacher and principal collective agreements due for renewal next year that will
exacerbate the teacher shortage and undermine our attempts to attract and keep great teachers and school leaders in our schools.”

The offer to support staff has gone to a vote which closes on Tuesday next week.