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The pay for kaiārahi i te reo could almos doubled in a life-changing pay equity settlement.
A pay equity process initiated by NZEI Te Riu Roa with the Ministry of Education in 2018 has resulted in average pay increases of 79 percent for the workers who use their in-depth knowledge of te reo and tikanga Maori to support their school communities.
Should the offer be endorsed by those covered in the claim, a kaiārahi i te reo currently earning $23.03 per hour would be paid $41.31 per hour.
NZEI Te Riu Roa president Liam Rutherford says it’s the first proposed pay equity settlement for a Māori workforce.
The offer also includes commitment to improving professional learning and development, a new parental allowance, an overtime allowance, better rules for progression and an updated work matrix to determine grading.
A comprehensive 18-month investigation confirmed the value of kaiārahi i te reo skills, responsibilities and experience has been significantly undervalued because they are predominately wāhine Māori.
Mr Rutherford says kaiārahi i te reo are crucial to the revival and preservation of te reo and tikanga Māori, and their mahi contributes hugely to creating the inclusive spaces we want our tamariki to learn and live in.
The new rates would apply from 20 August 2021, the date NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Ministry of Education confirmed the evidence of historical gender-based undervaluation.
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