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The Employment Relations Authority says it will try to break the impasse in secondary teachers' stalled pay talks.
It will facilitate bargaining between the Post Primary Teachers Association and the Education Ministry, and could recommend a settlement.
The decision comes just a week before PPTA members are due to start industrial action, including rolling strikes.
PPTA Te Wehengarua acting president Chris Abercrombie applauded the intervention.
"The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) decision issued today has correctly identified that pay is one of the key areas of concern for our members.
"Facilitation will continue the negotiating process and we hope that having an independent person in the room will be helpful."
The negotiations began nearly a year ago and are stalled over an offer that includes a pay rise of $6000 over two years.
The union said that was about half the rate of inflation for most teachers, and the ministry was too constrained by other public service settlements.