KEY POINTS:

A further 3 days of negotiations took place on 7, 8 and 9 May.
While we haven’t reached a settlement yet, some progress was made.
At the end of the last day, both teams re-stated their commitment to continue negotiations. We will meet on 15 and 16 May.
Because of this, all Paid Union Meetings have been deferred. These will be re-scheduled and the details sent to you as soon as possible.

ACTION:

Discuss this newsletter with your colleagues.

Worksite Representatives:

Make sure the NZEI members in your team read this newsletter.
Check with any relievers in your kindergarten, who are NZEI members, that they have read this newsletter.
Discuss union membership with any non-members in your kindergarten and encourage them to join. Membership forms can be downloaded at www.nzei.org.nz .

ENQUIRIES:

For further enquiries contact your local NZEI Te Riu Roa field staff officer/Takawaenga or email kindergarten@nzei.org.nz with questions or feedback.

The last newsletter you received was ’07 Number 4, dated April 2007

Dear members

Tena koutou katoa. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou

Negotiations Continued

Negotiations continued with the NZEI and Ministry of Education (MoE) teams meeting for three days 7, 8 and 9 May.

While no settlement has yet been reached, progress was made. Your NZEI team is of the view that the talks have not yet exhausted all options for a settlement. At the conclusion of the 6th day both parties confirmed they wish to continue negotiations and work towards a settlement. Further dates for negotiations were suggested.

Paid Union Meetings Deferred

On the advice of your Negotiating Team, the NZEI National Executive at its meeting on Thursday 10 May decided that Paid Union Meetings should be deferred. This will enable the teams to meet again this month to continue the talks.

NZEI appreciates that this may cause disruption and inconvenience for you. We apologise for this. Your negotiating team and the National Executive agree it is currently the most appropriate way to make progress.

Staff in the NZEI regional offices will reschedule meetings to take place in June. You will be sent the details of these meetings as soon as possible. These will be sent out by way of newsletter and will be on our website as soon as they are confirmed.

What happens next?

The NZEI and MoE teams will meet on 15 and 16 May. The union team will meet in Wellington the day prior to prepare.

A further 2 days are pencilled in for 28 and 29 May if they are needed.

Your team remains focused on the key issues of the claim. We are committed to achieving a settlement for you which will provide certainty through change and maintain the quality of the service.

Keeping In Touch

We will send you another update by way of newsletter following the next two days. It is likely that the next newsletter will contain a new schedule of meetings so you will be able to diary the new dates and plan around them.

We send these newsletters via email as well as post. If your kindergarten didn’t receive it electronically, and would like to, please email kindergarten@nzei.org.nz to let us know your kindergarten’s email address.

The NZEI website, www.nzei.org.nz will also have updated information so keep an eye on this.

And remember it is extremely important that you keep in touch with NZEI about any discussions about change or reorganisation happening in your Association. Reorganisation needs be handled very carefully at the moment because of the issues being discussed at negotiations.

Karen Skett and Karen Whibley
Co-Advocates

For office use:

NZEI Negotiations KTCA 2007/05
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To: All Kindergarten Worksites
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