Hundreds of school support workers will get a pay rise of up to 30 per cent as part of a settlement for pay equity, the Prime Minister announced today.
Union NZEI and the Ministry of Education signed a terms of settlement in a pay equity claim for 329 support workers for young children in early childhood and primary schools.
"This is about fairness," Ms Ardern said in a statement. "Almost all education support workers are women, and they do vital work helping young children with severe learning and behavioural challenges to learn."
The support workers are paid hourly between $16.77 and $19.87.
The settlement would see the minimum rate boosted to $21.67 and the top rate as $24.73 for workers with four to nine years' experience and $25.70 for those with ten years or more.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the settlement was "about making sure that women get a fair deal in the workplace".
The pay equity settlement is expected to be made valid next month, after the support workers cast their vote on it.
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