HAU TAKI HAERE Tertiary Update No 18, 2026.
29 September 2026
Strike ballots are open
Right now, around 9,500 polytech and university members currently in bargaining are voting in strike ballots. Should members decide to take strike action, this would be the first time polytechs and universities can strike action at the same time.
If you haven't seen your strike ballot, search your email (work and personal) for an email from Election Runner.
What does this mean?
The point of any strike action is to disrupt work and create pain points for our employers and to use this as leverage to better our pay, and our terms and conditions.
Strike action can look like different things at different campuses. It can include: half or full day strikes, a ban on entering student marks or course marks into the student management system, a ban on finalising enrolment processes, a ban on teaching or supporting teaching at lectures, tutorial, workshops and laboratories, or a combination of these actions.
What are my rights around striking?
Strikes can be called during negotiations for a collective agreement (or on justified health and safety grounds).
Only the union can call a strike and only members of that union can strike.
Once the strike has been agreed upon by members through a strike ballot, members need to follow the decisions of the collective. Strikes are effective when everyone takes action.
The outcome of the polytech strike ballot will be sent to members by Wednesday evening, and the outcome of the university strike ballot will be sent to members by Friday evening.
If members decide to strike more information will be sent early next week including a document responding to FAQs and mechanisms the union has to support our striking members.
TEU 2026 General Election Forum
Our election forum on Thursday 8 October from 5.00pm – 6:30pm at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University is the only forum focused on tertiary education issues from a worker perspective, and it's next week!
Register to come here: 2026 TEU General Election forum
If you’re based in Wellington please attend in person. We want a full venue to really demonstrate how deeply people care about tertiary education policies.
We invite questions about tertiary education policy from members and anyone interested in tertiary education. You can submit those questions via the registration link above, via our socials or during the event itself where you’ll be able to, in real time, vote on the questions you want asked.
Open letter sent to VCs of universities and CEOs of polytechs
Yesterday, Amy Ross, National Secretary TEU, sent an open letter to VCs and CEOs reminding them that tertiary institutions are a part of a healthy democracy and as such, should be hosting election forums and encouraging political debate. This letter was sent after it had come to our attention that some institutions were actively preventing this from happening. You can read the open letter here.
Hands up if you teach teachers!
You probably know that the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) requirements are under review by the Ministry of Education. Recent changes have shifted this mahi from the Teaching Council to the Ministry of Education where they have commissioned consulting company Martin Jenkins.
The 75-page report produced (and a short summary) by Martin Jenkins on the "case for change" is coming out 1st or 2nd of October. We think it is vital that you as member experts in teacher education are heard and bring your analytical eye to any changes and what the real-world impact will be. We are particularly cautious as they respond in part to recent curriculum changes, which have been controversial. If you are keen to be involved in join TEU feedback and/or get support with your own feedback, please contact National Secretary Amy Ross amy.ross@teu.ac.nz.
Register! Online symposium, 30 October 2026
Collective action for a changing climate: Tertiary education, unions and a liveable future
This online symposium brings together people from tertiary education and the wider union movement to explore how we can contribute to inclusive and equitable responses to climate change and sustainability.
Through conversations about learning, research, work, policy and action, we will share ideas and examples of how collective action can make a difference, with Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a foundation for the changes that are needed
The symposium is free and open to people across tertiary education, the wider union movement, and others interested in collective responses to climate change and sustainability. You do not need to be a TEU member to attend.
TEU was signatory to an open letter going to National and Labour parties calling for better positioning on taxation in Aotearoa. Currently, both parties have irresponsible policies in the context of the fiscal challenges we face in this country, particularly around health, superannuation and as we all know, education. You can read that open letter here.
Job vacancies at TEU!
See the current roles being advertised here