President’s Comment 148
Tom Parsons
16 October 2014
SPANZ President
Dear Colleagues
In mid-November, SPANZ Union members will be asked to ratify a Memorandum of Understanding in relation
to the Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement and Investing in Educational Success (IES) by the SPANZ
Union Executive. For SPANZ members who are not SPANZ Union members, NZSPC will request you to do
likewise.
Just what does this “ratify” mean and what exactly is being ratified?
Definition:
A Principal can, for example, ratify something that has been done on his or her behalf by another individual who
assumed the authority to act in the capacity of an agent.
What is being ratified:
On 1 October 2014, the Ministry of Education settled agreements with secondary teacher and Principal unions
on IES.
The settlements finalise interim agreements reached earlier with Secondary Principals’ Association of New
Zealand (SPANZ), the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA), and New Zealand School Trustees Association
(NZSTA).
They set out details of how new teacher and leadership roles will work together within Communities of Schools
to raise student achievement, and also cover inquiry time for teachers to learn from their colleagues and
provide support for schools within a Community.
PPTA and SPANZ members will now vote on whether to ratify the agreements. You can read the Terms of
Settlement and Guidelines by clicking here or on the SPANZ website.
In our case SPANZ Union has been part of the negotiating process in arguing the pros and cons of the
contractual process relating to IES. Those SPANZ members who are not SPANZ Union members have relied
upon PPTA as their bargaining agent.
PPTA are about to enter into a ratification process similar to SPANZ. What does this mean?
It is likely that in week 6-7, SPANZ Union and PPTA will go out to members seeking ratification to the interim
agreements contained in the earlier reference.
It would behove all of us to be familiar with what it is that is being ratified and the changes that the
negotiating team have agreed upon.
I would like to add my sincere appreciation to the SPANZ Union Executive who have been part of this lengthy
and protracted process.
Kind Regards,
Proudly Sponsored by
Tom Parsons
President
Email: [email protected] | www.spanz.school.nz | P 09 571 2233 | F 09 571 2244