Ngā Whatui | The Essentials

We support ākonga in the classroom, manage school offices and administration, libraries and science labs, maintain school grounds and much more – our work is made up of many threads.​

​As a group of workers, we are often undervalued. But can change this!​

​Together we are building power to win improvements to our collective agreement – with fair pay, job security and the professional learning and development we need – the essentials!​

1. Double Your Power – recruit a friend to your union, the stronger our collective is the louder our voices for change!
2. Share your story - talk to your principal, teacher or parent communities about your work, and the need for improvements in your terms and conditions. When you share your story with people who may not understand what you do or how your terms and conditions need improving, you build an understanding and brings others onside to help put pressure on the Government to make change.
3. Sign the open letter calling for more investment in essential school staff.

The image of the kete is representative of knowledge, strength, structure, and support. Like support staff, kaiārahi i te reo and therapists, kete are essential—they help us organise and navigate our daily lives, carrying everything from functional items to precious taonga, ensuring they are safe and cared for. ​

The stitching detail around text boxes and the boxes themselves speak directly to Tui, tui, tui, tuia (sew, stitch, bind it together) and Ngā Whātui are those who do the tying together. ​

Ngā Whātui is about the weave – reflecting how people in these roles weave and work together to provide the support and experiences for tamariki. Each weave has a purpose – eg the looser woven kete are used for gathering shellfish or vegetables, enabling the water to drain or the dirt to shake through; and a tighter weave holds the contents safely and securely; weave colour tells the story of purpose, or of the weaver. ​

You can find all of the support staff collective agreements here.