Members at a Kua Tae Te Wā protest.

Kua tae te wā

In 2019, we made the message loud and clear – it’s time. Time to lead, teach and learn.

This meant freeing teachers to teach so every child receives the personal attention they need to learn and thrive. It meant freeing principals to focus on leading and it means ensuring we have enough teachers by attracting more people to teaching, by respecting them as professionals and paying them properly.

The issues

The organising mantra from the beginning was that members’ frustration and anger needed to be converted into collective action. That action was understood to include potential industrial action and building community support.

We needed to ensure the government understood that the crisis in teaching could only be solved through major investment. There was strong support for the key strategy of simplifying claims to just a few key issues: the crisis in education (teacher shortage); time and workload; pay and relativities; and career development.

  1. High workloads for principals and teachers
  2. Lack of support for students with additional learning and behavoural needs
  3. Undervaluing of the profession and low wages, leading to a crisis in the recruitment of new teachers.

The ask

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  1. Significant increase to wages across the board.
  2. Enough time to do the job properly, in the form of greater support, resourcing and non-contact time.
  3. A career framework that reflects the professional and career aspirations of NZEI members.

The Campaign

NZEI Te Riu Roa launched the It’s Time - Kua Tae Te Wā campaign at Annual Conference in October 2017 as teachers and principals in primary and area schools began to think about the negotiation of their collective agreements expiring in 2018.

The campaign was about much more than the settlement of the primary and area school collective agreements, but the momentum and leverage of the CEA process was the prime driver of the timing and focal points of the campaign. The Campaign Members were clear during early consultation processes that making teaching an attractive and valued profession was the key goal of the campaign.

We needed to ensure the government understood that the crisis in teaching could only be solved through major investment. There was strong support for the key strategy of simplifying claims to just a few key issues: the crisis in education (teacher shortage); time and workload; pay and relativities; and career development.

Arial shot of hundreds of members gathered in Civic Square holding a giant banner. Banner reads: "We back the teachers."

The wins

The Collective Agreements for Primary and Area School Teachers and Principals we’re signed and ratified in August 2019. These agreements marked the following wins for NZEI Te Riu Roa members:

  1. Pay increases for most teachers and school staff across the board.
  2. The Education Sector Accord. This agreement between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa members reflects a commitment to a joint problem solving approach that will address systemic issues within the education sector in Aotearoa.
  3. Greater respect and public support for teachers, principals and the profession at large. Engaging with parents and the community was a key part of the success of this campaign and the ramifications continue beyond the signing of the collective agreement.
  4. A significant increase in membership of NZEI Te Riu Roa, as education professionals across the motu got to experience the power of collective action.

Other past campaigns

Check out more of the progress that NZEI Te Riu Roa members have achieved together.

Campaigns