The union for secondary school teachers says they want to move forward after accepting the government's latest offer on pay and conditions.

Photo: 123RF

The Post Primary Teachers' Association said yesterday 65 percent of its members had accepted the offer, ending months of negotiations and teacher strikes.

The offer includes a lump sum payment of $1500 for union members and salary rises of about 3 percent next month and each of the next two years.

Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

PPTA president Jack Boyle said it's a step forward. He said it was a relatively close vote for the collective agreement, with much more support for an accord agreement with the Ministry of Education and Educational Institute Te Riu Roa.

"[The contract] didn't have a hell of a lot in it to address the workload concerns that everyone in secondary is experiencing, most particularly new teachers and middle leaders, and it potentially didn't have a hell of a lot about the recruitment and retention of teachers.

"So I guess that's why the votes for the accord are higher than the votes for the collective agreement.

"It demonstrates a level of commitment and pragmatism from teachers that even though the workload and supply components were not what they'd hoped, they want to move forward through that accord space with the government."

He said the accord laid out a number of challenges agreed with the ministry which they would work through.