The Post Primary Teachers Association is seeking a 15 percent pay rise for secondary teachers and a housing allowance for those in high-cost areas.

Photo: 123rf

The union's claim tabled with the Education Ministry this afternoon also includes more non-teaching hours and increases to management units paid for extra duties.

Association president Jack Boyle said higher pay and better conditions would help attract and retain more teachers, of which there was a shortage.

"When we've got 40 percent fewer people going into secondary initial teacher education, when we've got 40 percent of those who do come in actually leaving within the first five years, and when we've got 20 percent of the current workforce north of 60, there is a correction that is required and it is required now," he said.

The union's members last year debated whether teachers in Auckland should be paid extra to help them cope with the high cost of housing in the region, and the idea was included in the claim.

The union is seeking a "high-cost rental allowance" for teachers in areas such as Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown, where the median rent was 10 percent higher than the national median.

It also sought a continuation of the government paying members' Education Council fees, and a "bargaining fee" for secondary teachers who were not members of the union.

Secondary teachers' previous settlement was made in 2015, resulting in pay rises for most teachers of 6.7 percent over three years.

Primary school teachers began their pay talks in May and had voted to strike for a day on 15 August unless a solution can be found in mediation with the Education Ministry.

Meanwhile, hospital nurses settled their collective agreement today with pay rises ranging from 12.5 to 16 percent.