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Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet Their Good Employer Obligations to Maori

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Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet Their Good Employer Obligations to Maori Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet Their Good Employer Obligations to Maori “Ko te matauranga te puna o te ao marama. He kaihiki i te manawanui ki te whakakotahi i nga iwi o te motu.” Rangatira o Te Tai Tokerau, a Ta Hemi Henare. “Knowledge is the dawn of understanding, understanding is the fi rst sign of tolerance, tolerance is the bright light of racial understanding.” Sir James Clendon Tau Henare, Te Tai Tokerau (1911 – 1989) May 2015 Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet Their Good Employer Obligations to Maori May 2015 ISBN: 978-0-473-32321-9 © NZPPTA/NZSTA This material is copyright to NZPPTA/NZSTA. No part of the Guidelines to assist Boards of Trustees to meet their good employer obligations to Māori may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express permission of the General Secretary, NZPPTA, PO Box 2119, Wellington, ph: (04) 384 9964, fax: (04) 382 8763, email: [email protected] AND the Service Delivery Manager, NZSTA, PO Box 5123, Wellington, ph: (04) 473 4955, fax: (04) 471 6412, email: [email protected]. Guidelines to Assist Boards of Trustees to Meet Their Good Employer Obligations to Maori May 2015 ISBN: 978-0-473-32321-9 © NZPPTA/NZSTA This material is copyright to NZPPTA/NZSTA. No part of the Guidelines to assist Boards of Trustees to meet their good employer obligations to Māori may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express permission of the General Secretary, NZPPTA, PO Box 2119, Wellington, ph: (04) 384 9964, fax: (04) 382 8763, email: [email protected] AND the Service Delivery Manager, NZSTA, PO Box 5123, Wellington, ph: (04) 473 4955, fax: (04) 471 6412, email: [email protected]. This material is copyright to NZPPTA/NZSTA. No part of the Guidelines to assist Boards of Trustees to meet their good employer obligations to Māori may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express permission of the General Secretary, NZPPTA, PO Box 2119, Wellington, ph: (04) 384 9964, fax: (04) 382 8763, email: [email protected] AND the Manager Service Delivery, NZSTA, PO Box 5123, Wellington, ph: (04) 473 4955, fax: (04) 471 6412, email: [email protected] 2 Contents Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 PART A: Good Employer Obligations ...................................................... 2 Good Employer Statutory Obligations .................................................. 2 Good Employer Provisions Specific to the Māori People ..................... 2 Consultation ......................................................................................... 3 Te Reo Māori ....................................................................................... 7 Employment requirements of the Māori people ................................. 11 Staffing/Appointments/EEO ............................................................... 13 Health and Safety .............................................................................. 21 Professional Development ................................................................. 24 Employee Relations ........................................................................... 25 Leave ................................................................................................. 30 Remuneration .................................................................................... 35 PART B: The Treaty of Waitangi and Relevant Matters ........................ 40 Section One: The Treaty of Waitangi ................................................. 40 Section Two: Working in partnership to overcome barriers ................ 43 Section Three: Racial Discrimination ................................................. 44 Section Four: Bill of Rights ................................................................. 45 PART C: Funding ................................................................................... 47 APPENDIX ONE - Papakupu (glossary) ................................................ 50 APPENDIX TWO - Checklist ................................................................. 53 3 Introduction This document contains updated guidelines developed as a result of the Memorandum agreed between New Zealand School Trustees Association Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (NZSTA) and New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (NZPPTA) to assist boards of trustees (“boards”) to meet their good employer obligations to Māori. Boards should note that the Government, as a Treaty partner, cannot devolve its Treaty responsibilities to boards, but has a role in monitoring boards as part of the fulfilment of its partnership obligations. These guidelines aim to: explain the good employer legislation so that boards are clear about their authority to act in respect of Māori; assist in creating and maintaining a good and healthy working environment for Māori teachers. This includes: - establishing a relationship with the local Māori community, hapu, and iwi; - the recognition and use of Te Reo Māori [the Māori language] and Tikanga Māori [Māori culture] in the wider life of the school; detail the specific employment requirements of Māori which include the employment agreement provisions; provide guidelines on applying the principles contained in the Treaty of Waitangi. Boards have a right to govern schools and principals have a right to manage schools within legal requirements and board policy. These guidelines suggest ways of working with Māori teachers and communities to give practical effect to legislative and other requirements. The New Zealand School Trustees Association Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (NZSTA) and the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (NZPPTA) support the incorporation of these suggestions in to the operation of schools. The guidelines do not provide conditions of employment beyond those already provided within legislation and the employment agreement. The guidelines make recommendations boards can apply. Depending on the responsibilities delegated to the principal, many of the actions or processes are most likely to be managed by the principal as the chief executive of the school. Boards have the responsibility to monitor that actions are taken where required. © NZPPTA/NZSTA - PART A: Good Employer Obligations Good Employer Statutory Obligations The statutory obligations of a “good employer” derive from Part 7A of the State Sector Act 1988. Of particular importance to boards are the principles of the Act and the definition of a good employer d) Recognition of - (i) the aims and aspirations of the Māori people; and (ii) the employment requirements of the Māori people; and (iii) the need for the greater involvement of the Māori people in the education service; and (f) Recognition of the aims and aspirations and employment requirements, and the cultural differences, of ethnic or minority groups; and Good Employer Provisions Specific to the Māori People d) (i) Aims and aspirations of the Māori people (iii) Greater involvement of the Māori people in the education service. The most effective way for boards to ensure that they understand the aims and aspirations of the Māori people in the school community with respect to education is through consultation with the local Māori communities, hapū and iwi. If boards follow the recommendations made in these guidelines, particularly in the following community consultation section, the Māori people in the school community will have an opportunity for involvement in the education provided at their school. 2 Consultation The board has a responsibility, irrespective of its makeup, to establish a meaningful and ongoing relationship with the local Māori communities, hapū, iwi and with Māori employees so that proper consultation may take place. Establishing a relationship with local Māori communities, hapū, and iwi This may be accomplished by: ensuring that at least two or more Māori are members of the board, either through election or co-option; and/or establishing a Māori committee of the board or a Māori advisory group to the board; and/or establishing a kaumātua for the school using a local kaumātua In so doing, the board will need to liaise closely with and take advice from the local iwi to make sure the board is fully aware of the role of a kaumātua and what the board’s responsibilities are in relation to the establishment of a kaumātua position. Where no local Māori people are members of the board, the chairperson should consult with the principal to work out a strategy for making contact with Māori. The initial contact may be made through: a Māori teacher on the staff parents/caregivers of Māori children other Māori known to either of them a visit by the principal and/or board chairperson to the local marae Efforts can be made to overcome difficulties which may arise. There needs to be an awareness that: it may be difficult for a non-Māori board chairperson and/or principal to attend a function at the marae; it may be equally difficult for Māori to put themselves forward for election to the board; one request from the board chairperson and principal to the local iwi may not get an immediate response. The board should not be discouraged by this, but should persevere 3 An alternative approach that the board can take is to find out who the local pakeke or kaumātua are, choose one and make a direct approach to that person for assistance in establishing a relationship
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