Part 1 – Application/Term

1.1 Parties to the Agreement

1.1.1 The parties to this agreement shall be the Amalgamated Workers Union New Zealand Southern Incorporated, the Northern Amalgamated Workers Union Inc, Central Amalgamated Workers Union Inc and the Secretary for Education acting under delegation from the State Services Commissioner made pursuant to s23 State Sector Act 1988 and acting in accordance with s74(5) of that Act.

1.2 Coverage

1.2.1 This agreement is binding on every board of trustees of a state or integrated Secondary, Area, or Form 1-7 school, or commissioner, as appropriate as defined in the Education Act 1989.  It does not include the board of trustees of the Correspondence School.

1.2.2 This agreement is binding upon any groundstaff employee as defined under 3.1.1 below, employed by a Board or Commissioner of a state or integrated secondary or area school bound by 1.2.1 above, who is or becomes a member of any one of the three unions listed in 1.1.1 above, and notifies their employer of this.

1.3 Term of Agreement

1.3 The term of this Agreement is 1 November 2007 to 31 October 2009.

1.4 Variation to the Agreement

1.4.1 National – The parties agree that the terms and conditions in this agreement may be varied at any time by written agreement between each of the unions referred to in 1.1.1 above and the Secretary for Education, acting under delegation from the State Services Commissioner made pursuant to s23 of the State Sector Act.

1.4.2 School based variations –

(a) Agreement may be reached between a board, an employee and a union representative to pay a single weekly remuneration rate, including an amount in lieu of allowances and other remuneration.  The agreement will be in writing and signed by the employer, the employee and the union representative, clearly stating which elements are included (e.g. the specific allowance, overtime).  This provision is intended to provide a mechanism to simplify the administration and operation of this agreement for schools and not to disadvantage the employee in terms of his/her broad entitlements.

(b) A school board, its groundstaff and the union may agree to a broader variation to this agreement than envisaged under (a) above, however, any such variation shall be subject to the agreement of the Secretary for Education where it provides any lesser conditions than are provided in this agreement.