Here are some of the data points explained in our bargaining session from the MOE.

Remuneration

• In 2022, there were no primary principals who earnt less than $100,000.
• It is important to keep in mind that here has been no link made between inflation and wage growth for principals in the recent past (at least since the 1990s).
  • If we are to look at principals’ salaries in comparison to inflation, between 2004 and 2021, principals’ salaries have kept ahead of inflation by a substantial margin, with the average annual increase in inflation being 2.1%, while the average annual increase for primary principals’ salaries is 2.95%. Primary principals’ salaries increased overall by 64.01% between 2004 and 2021, with inflation increasing by 41.86% overall in the same period.
• The lump sum payments, worth $1250 to each union member, provides a 1.3% increase on the current remuneration rates for U1 and U2 principals, a 1,2% increase on current rates for U3 principals and a 1.0% increase on current rates for U5 principals. [Note: The first $750 lump sum payment is to PPCB members, the second lump sum payment of $500 is to all employees covered by the PPCA PPCBU).
• By New Zealand standards, principals are well paid. The average salary of a primary principal in 2022 was $140,438. Even the salaries of principals at very small schools are high enough to bring them within the top ten percent of all salary and wage earners in New Zealand (based on information provided by Stats NZ on the 10th decile for wage and salary earners of $102,100 and above).
• We acknowledge your focus on the remuneration of U1 and U2 principals, so we were pleased to deliver an offer that focussed increases to these principals by providing a 7.2% increase over two years. This meant these principals would be earning a base salary of $105,031 in year two of the agreement.
  • For U1 principals, this 7.2% increase to their base salary equates to an extra $271 gross per fortnight.

• In 2022, the average salary of a U3 primary principal was $128,339.
  • Of the 39,508 primary teachers in Aotearoa, 81 teachers across 73 schools earn a salary that is higher than the average U3 primary principal. This is 0.2% of the primary teaching workforce, indicating to us that the proportion of teachers who are likely to earn the same as, or more than, the average U3 primary principal – which does not seem to match the perception in the sector that this is a common or significant issue.

Sabbaticals

• The scheme code PPS indicates primary principal sabbaticals. Considering this, the data shows the following number of sabbaticals allocated to primary principals in each year were:
  • 2019: 110
  • 2020: 105
  • 2021: 84
  • 2022: 92
  • 2023: 103
  • We have spoken to the team who supplied this data to you to understand the numbers further. Of the sabbaticals allocated in each year requested for primary principals, the actual number taken up were:
  • 2019: 103
  • 2020: 103
  • 2021: 81
  • 2022: 90
  • 2023: 101
  • This means the data includes those few sabbaticals that are marked ‘status withdrawn’ – for example, this could happen when there this is a late decline of the sabbatical offer and no reserved applicants are able to accept.
  • The numbers awarded in 2021 and 2022 particularly reflect the experience of some primary principals postponing their sabbaticals because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or withdrawing completely for that year.
• As with the data above, it is important to point out that the 19 principals who have applied for a sabbatical more than once and have never been awarded one, will include area and secondary principals in addition to primary principals.
  • We have confirmed that for the 2019 – 2023 period, there are two primary principals who have applied twice for a sabbatical and were not awarded one.