A secondary teachers' pay deal provides a new pay scale that primary teachers are unlikely to want to adopt under pay parity arrangements.
Radio New Zealand News has obtained a copy of the deal which union members will vote on in the next two weeks.
The deal creates new salary steps instead of providing a percentage-based pay rise.
The Ministry of Education says that if secondary teachers vote for the new scale, it will also be offered to primary teachers.
But the scale provides worse pay rates for teachers with the qualfications most commonly held by primary teachers and better rates for those with the qualifications held by most secondary teachers.
The new steps equate to a 3% pay rise for most secondary teachers at the top and bottom of the pay scale.
The ministry says the average pay rise will be 2.78%, but some secondary teachers will get no salary increase.
Secondary teachers also get a $300 payment.
The deal primary teachers agreed to last year included an average pay rise of 2.75%, plus a $300 payment.
The primary teachers union says it will fight any threat to the unified pay scale.
