We are the 48,000+ principals, teachers and support staff who work in primary, area and secondary schools, early childhood centres, special education and school advisory services.

We come together as NZEI Te Riu Roa - New Zealand’s largest education union, a Treaty-based organisation and a powerful advocate for quality public education.

Wear black and white this Suffrage Day

On Women's Suffrage Day, the National Council of Women New Zealand, the union movement and other organisations are banding together to call on everyone who believes in fair pay - Let's get the message out there that it's time for pay equity!

Read more
Download the poster

AKO - The community issue

The new winter issue of AKO - our journal for education professionals - is out now!
It's all about community and the value of strong connections.

Read AKO online.

Sign on to make a difference

It’s time for support staff to build their collective power to make a real difference to their pay and working conditions. We need everyone on board - teachers, principals, parents and the wider community.

Sign on now and show your support

Our campaigns

Every child is worth it petition

We're asking the Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Minister of Finance to honour their pre-election pledge to restore early childhood education funding, deliver on 100% qualified teachers, and reduce teacher to child ratios.

Sign the petition

Every child is worth it

We think that every child is worth the best early childhood education New Zealand can possibly provide, and a great start in life. We want the Government to restore per-child funding and commit to 100% qualified teachers in every ECE service. New Zealand can afford to provide quality ECE. That's why we campaign for quality, teacher-led ECE as a right for every child.

Learn more about the campaign

Our 10-year strategic plan for ECE

Mana Taurite - Pay equity

No matter who you are or what kind of work you do, you deserve to be paid fairly for your work. But for women, achieving fair pay has been a long, hard battle that isn't over yet. Despite the passing of the Equal Pay Act 40 years ago, women are still paid $4 an hour less, on average, than men. In many cases that's because work that's traditionally done by women - such as caring and working with young children - has been historically undervalued.

Learn more about the campaign

Join the pay equity pledge

Events

Get help

Contact our member advisory officers

Call us between 8.30am and 5.00pm on freephone 0800 693 443, or email nzei@nzei.org.nz for confidential advice.

Recent news and media

18 Sep 2019: Educators' pay equity claims in spotlight for Suffrage Day

NZEI Te Riu Roa members will be joining with others across the union movement by wearing black and white in support of pay equity on Suffrage Day tomorrow, and urging the Government to commit to a settlement for teacher aides this year. Read More

12 Sep 2019: NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes Aotearoa history announcement

NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement this morning that the teaching of Aotearoa's history in schools will become compulsory in 2022. Read More

04 Sep 2019: NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes Government moves to address teacher shortages in ECE

NZEI Te Riu Roa has welcomed new Government measures to help relieve the shortage of early childhood education teachers -- but says lifting pay for ECE teachers is the fundamental solution to the crisis facing the sector. Read More

03 Sep 2019: Area school principals vote to accept Ministry of Education offer

Principals and tumuaki in area schools and wharekura who are jointly represented by NZEI Te Riu Roa and PPTA Te Wehengarua have voted to ratify a settlement to their collective agreement. Read More