A man teacher sitting at a table talking to other teachers. He has medium-length brown hair and a beard. A man next to him is listening intently.
A man teacher sitting at a table talking to other teachers. He has medium-length brown hair and a beard. A man next to him is listening intently.
Principals and schools

NZEI Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement negotiation

Update on the collective agreement negotiations for NZEI Primary Principals’ bargaining
A man teacher sitting at a table talking to other teachers. He has medium-length brown hair and a beard. A man next to him is listening intently.
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Last updated 16 December 2025

Since July 2025, the Ministry of Education and the Public Service Commission have been negotiating with NZEI Te Riu Roa in good faith to renew the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement.
Following nine days of bargaining, an offer was presented on 3 December 2025 by the Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, to the NZEI Te Riu Roa union for primary principals to settle the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement.
The offer was sent to members for ratification on 8 December 2025. Voting concluded at 12pm on Thursday 11 December 2025. The offer was rejected.

Key elements of the offer:

  • Term: A 30-month term.
  • Remuneration: A total increase of 4.65% in the first 12 months for the 30-month term.
  • Leadership in Literacy & Numeracy: A $3,000 increase to the Leadership in Literacy and Numeracy base component to $11,000 per annum until the expiry of the collective agreement, and $10,000 per annum ongoing, to recognise the significant work principals do leading the curriculum.
  • Career Stage Payments: Increases to these payments, Stage 1 $3,700, Stage 2 $6,900, Stage 3 $10,200.
  • Unified Pay Scale: A unified pay system with primary, area and secondary principals.
  • Principal Mentor Allowance: A principal mentor allowance of $5,000 per annum for principals who are appointed as mentors.
  • Chatham & Pitt Islands: Increases to the provisions for principals living and working on the Chatham and Pitt Islands.
  • Mentoring PCTs Allowance: An allowance for mentoring provisionally certificated teachers for U1 and U2 principals when no eligible teacher is available to fill the role.
  • Service recognition: For principals who are transferred to a converted charter school and return to a state or state-integrated school.
  • Professional Learning & Development: A $10,000 professional development fund for principal leadership (two payments of $5,000).
     

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