Living Wage for school support staff

A pay rise to the Living Wage level for school support staff has been greeted with mixed feelings.

Under the collective agreement reached with the Ministry of Education last week, the support staff will now earn the minimum of $21.15 an hour – the Living Wage.

That will mean up to a 19.5 per cent increase for 72 per cent of teacher aides on low pay between the minimum wage of $17.70 and $20.69.

All other support staff earning at or above $21.15 per hour will receive an increase of 3 per cent on printed rates and all members will receive a further 3 per cent increase on printed rates in 12 months.

South Canterbury Support Staff New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) co-representative Julie Langford expected there would be mixed feelings about the settlement as those on the lower scale gained a big percentage rise while those who had been working in the role many years would only get a minimum increase.

Langford hoped teacher aide pay equity with other similar positions such as Corrections staff would close the gap and bring the recognition they deserved for the skills they had. Those negotiations with the ministry start on Wednesday.

Oceanview School office manager Christine Welch said the increase will make life a lot easier for her and other support staff.

‘‘It will make us feel more valued.’’

She was disappointed that for teacher aides, fixed term contracts had not been addressed so there was still no job certainty for them from one term to the next.

Highfield School board of trustees chair Blair Harris said he thought everyone should be on the Living Wage.

‘‘Teacher aides are invaluable to us and as important as teachers. We could not function without them.’’

South Canterbury Living Wage co-spokesperson Julian Maze said being paid less than the Living Wage was a ‘‘national disgrace’’.

Increases to at least the Living Wage lift people out of grinding poverty and will make a huge difference to their lives and those of their families.

He hoped the settlement would encourage other government and local government employers to set an example to the private sector who were paying below the rate.

The support staff pay changes are effective from November 29. The rates will be implemented and back-paid in March because of the complex changes to the payroll that will be required.

The new rates will be funded from new money to be provided to boards of trustees through the operations grant.