Pūnga mātauranga
  • Primary & Area School Teachers
  • Primary & Area School Principals
Collective Agreements

Timeline of Events: Kua Tae Te Wā - It's Time

13 Oct 2022
1 minute read

March and April 2018 – Bargaining is initiated for primary teachers and principals.


May and June 2018 – Ministry makes first offers, which are rejected.


15 August 2018 – Primary teachers and principals take one-day strike action.


10 September 2018 – Ministry makes second round of offers, which are rejected.




8 November 2018 – After four days of facilitation, Ministry makes third round of offers.


12-16 November 2018 – Primary teachers and principals undertake a week of rolling one-day strikes around the country.


4 December 2018 – Members reject third offers.


27 February 2019 – Ministry makes fourth round of offers, which are rejected.


29 May 2019 – Primary teachers and principals are joined by area and secondary school teachers in an historic, nationwide full-day strike.




14 June 2019 – Following minister-led talks, a fifth round of offers is made.


19-25 June 2019 – Teachers vote to ratify, but principals vote to fight on for parity with secondary principals.


2 July 2019 – Primary school principals hand-deliver letters to Ministry of Education offices to show their determination to take further action.


8 July 2019 – Principals begin partial strike action that sees them disengage from Ministry meetings and communications until 16 August.


9 August 2019 – The Ministry makes a sixth offer to principals, including pay parity, which members accept.




28 August 2019 – The Ministry makes an offer to Area School Principals which members accept.