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New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa

Website: https://www.nzei.org.nz/

Email: nzei@nzei.org.nz

Contact: 0800 NZEI HELP | 79 Boulcott St, Wellington, 6012

Join the most powerful education union in Aotearoa and fight for a fairer education sector. As a member, you’re a part of a powerful collective who work together to create a better education sector for kaiako, ākonga and everyone that contributes to preparing our tamariki for the future.


Which industries/sectors are covered?

Education – teachers in early childhood education, primary and area schools and kura; principals in primary and area schools and kura; education support staff across the whole sector; Learning Support specialist staff working for the Ministry of Education.

Membership info

NZEI Te Riu Roa is a collective of over 50,000 education professionals who come together to demand better for the education sector in Aotearoa.

NZEI Te Riu Roa members negotiate better pay and conditions for themselves and their colleagues around the motu. 

By joining NZEI, you can also be a part of campaigns that make a difference in our sector. NZEI Te Riu Roa has been a voice for change every step of the way – from winning pay parity to saying no to bulk funding, to fighting for pay equity, to honouring our country’s history through the revised Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum.  You’ll also get support when you need it at work.  Workplaces can be difficult to navigate. From advice and guidance to advocacy support – NZEI Te Riu Roa staff are experts in industrial relations and go into bat for our members every day across the motu.

Our union, like our sector is predominantly female. Our Miro Māori structures and Komiti Pasifika reflect our commitment to Māori and Pasifika members. The average age of members also reflects the sector at 40+.

Membership benefits

NZEI Te Riu Roa members can access an 0800 member service team to support them in their workplace, as well as field staff and branches/aronui tōmua across the country to work with on our campaigns, collective bargaining and pay equity processes to lift pay and conditions in the sector. 

NZEI Te Riu Roa also has a range of benefits including health insurance, discounted car hire, savings on glasses and more. See all the membership benefits here.

Cost of membership

  • Your subscription rate is linked to the amount to you earn; student membership is free.
  • Subs are indexed to CPI and are currently between $2.59 and $26.93 a fortnight:
  • Click here to see the costs.

Employers represented

Principals are members of the union as well as the employers of school support staff. In some ECE services, the centre manager or head teacher may also be the owner.


Leadership people info

  • President | Te Manukura: Mark Potter
  • National Secretary | Korimako Tangiata: Stephanie Mills
  • Matua Takawaenga: Laures Park
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