NZEI is currently engaged in a Longer Term Work Programme (LTWP) that followed on from the 2004 settlements of the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement and the Primary Principals' Collective Agreement. This work will help shape the claims for 2007. The LTWP work includes:

• the introduction and review of classroom release time (CRT)
• an independent study of teacher and teaching principal workload
• design of new career pathways for teachers and leading through to principalship
• an independent study of current career structures and rewards for teachers

Career Pathways

A particular focus of the LTWP has been on the development of new career pathways.  These are intended to provide enhanced career opportunities and more appropriate recognition of the middle leadership roles that are performed by many primary sector teachers. In addition, the LTWP has overseen a comprehensive study of the workload pressures that impact on teachers and principals in the sector.

While the focus of the LTWP has been on the development of career pathways for teachers, it has been acknowledged throughout the process that any proposed change will impact on principals. For that reason, principals have been involved throughout the developmental process. NZEI views this process as having the potential to have significant beneficial impact on principal workload issues.

The LTWP Report

An interim LTWP report has been sent to the Minister of Education, Steve Maharey. The report proposes a significant level of change to the career structures that operate in the primary sector. It is designed to enhance the career opportunities available to teachers and proposes the creation of a number of new middle leadership classifications.

The proposals represent, potentially, both the greatest level of change and of opportunity for primary teachers since the introduction of pay parity a decade ago. But while the plan has been worked on by many NZEI members and staff, wider membership input was needed to ensure the proposal's viability and to identify any potential pitfalls.

To do this, NZEI held paid union meetings with teachers and principals around the country, to ensure:

• a good understanding of what is being proposed in the LTWP;
• the opportunity to consider the impact of those proposals on teachers, principals and schools; and
• engagement in the process that will lead to the development of the claims for collective agreement negotiations in 2007.

In the meantime NZEI is modelling these proposals at a number of schools / clusters of schools during term 1, 2007 to ensure their viability and to ensure that any potential pitfalls are identified. Further work, based on feedback from the paid union meetings and further modelling, will occur in the first few months of 2007.