The long battle of the Kindergarten Teachers’ Association

This collection from the Kindergarten Teachers’ Association illustrates the long struggle of these teachers to improve the status of their profession.

The first free kindergarten service opened in New Zealand in 1889 but the teachers’ association was not established until 1952 and it was not formally recognised as a professional and service organisation, in the tradition of NZEI and the PPTA, until 1958.

Through the 1960s, the KTA was overwhelmed by the demands of growth as the Baby Boom generation entered the system. By the 1970s, however, it had become more of a political force, sparked in part by an active women’s movement that sought a greatly expanded role for women in society, beyond that of mothers and homemakers.

In 1975, the KTA began to plan strike action in protest at low salary rates, although, in the event, a negotiated settlement was reached and no action was needed.

The KTA operated in the public sector, and its work was often determined by central government. It increasingly learnt to develop tactics appropriate to a pressure group to influence public opinion, and achieve improvements, particularly as economic difficulties struck the country in the 1980s.

By 1990, the difficult economic climate had taken its toll, and the KTA joined forces with the Early Childhood Workers Union to form the Combined Early Childhood Union of Aotearoa. In 1994 this combined group amalgamated with NZEI.  Kindergarten teachers remain active within NZEI structures.