31 JulELAA CEO Update 31 July 2019 (revised pm 310719)
Dear members,
It’s been a very busy couple of weeks at ELAA. We will shortly lodge an application with the Fair Work Commission to seek a variation to the Victorian Early Childhood Teachers and Educators Agreement (VECTEA) Order. This variation is sought to ensure the Fair Work Authorisation’s scope is consistent with the current VECTEA (2016), that being:
- educators working in sessional kindergartens
- educators where they are employed exclusively with an early childhood teacher in the delivery of preschool education
- teachers working in sessional preschools and delivering preschool programs in long day care or attached to primary schools (where their employer has provided bargaining authority to ELAA, and they are included on the list of services in the single interest order).
Whilst some member employers had requested an expansion to the scope beyond these settings, several members expressed views that they would like more clarity on what this change would look like in practice before they commit to remaining as signatories to the VECTEA. Given the complexities associated with resolving these issues, and rather than delay the negotiation process at a time of significant change in the sector, ELAA has decided to maintain the current scope of the VECTEA. Post authorisation, adjustments to specific terms and conditions will be negotiated with the AEU in the coming months. ELAA will continue to gather member input throughout the VECTEA negotiation process via our I.R Reference Group, with regular updates to be provided in e-news too.
ELAA has continued its advocacy around the likely implementation of a Portable Long Service Leave Scheme in Victoria from 1 January 2020. ELAA remains concerned that there has been extremely limited consultation on the proposed scheme. Specifically, the exclusion of the private sector (now two thirds of the sector) means that long service leave is not actually portable. The Scheme will also create adverse administrative and financial impacts for the not-for-profit sector that have not been acknowledged. The proposed timing of implementation also clashes with the rollout of the kindergarten expansion program, the single biggest policy reform in the Victorian kindergarten sector’s history. ELAA is urgently seeking more information from Government and has invited the Chief Executive Officer of the new Scheme to present at an upcoming CEO’s Forum in August 2019.
ELAA would like to acknowledge the Department of Education And Training for their facilitation of the Education State Forum, held across yesterday and today. The Forum provided a unique opportunity to hear updates on early childhood education priorities from the Minister for Education and Deputy Premier, the Hon. James Merlino. Other sessions throughout the day focused on the development of a co-design approach to the kindergarten expansion program from 1 January 2020. Over dinner, a panel conversation facilitated by the ABC’s Virginia Trioli capped off a highly valuable and strategic day of planning and networking.
Sincerely
David Worland
CEO – ELAA
