06 JunIt’s starting to get ‘real’ on early educator wages
The momentum to pay Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators a fair wage went up a gear today with the United Workers Union (UWU) lodging their application with the Fair Work Commission for a multi-enterprise agreement.
“An unstable early childhood workforce has huge implications for Australian children, families, the professional mobility of women, and the economy,” said Acting CEO of Early Learning Australia (ELAA), Megan O’Connell.
“Without a fair wage we cannot retain or attract a reliable supply of early childhood educators, we can’t expand the number of services across Australia, especially in remote and regional areas, which leads to ‘childcare deserts. Without reliable access to ECEC the decision to join the workforce, particularly for women, is made twice as hard.”
ELAA has seen the demonstrable difference a shift to competitive wages can have on a segment of the sector with multi-enterprise bargaining. As the lead agent for the Victorian Early Childhood Teachers and Educators Agreement (VECTEA), ELAA (as the employer representative), unions, and Municipal Association Victoria (MAV) negotiated pay parity for early childhood teachers with their primary school counterparts. An essential part to these continued pay outcomes has been the Victorian Government coming to the negotiation table and co-funding above-award salaries and beneficial employment conditions.
The VECTEA 2020 currently operates for over 400 employers, and will be re-negotiated by ELAA in early 2024, continuing to provide significant benefits for the Victorian teachers and educators.
Employers who sign up to the VECTEA receive higher funding rates to support higher salaries. As a result, early childhood teachers are more likely to seek work in VECTEA ECEC services and stay there. The knock-on effects are seen in the delivery of consistently high-quality education programs, greater accessibility to ECEC programs for children, and more options for parents to join the workforce.
“This application by the UWU and a small group of employers is going to be a test case,” added Ms O’Connell.
“It’s a welcome next step and we’re hopeful that the Federal Government will join the union and employers at the negotiating table and, as the current primary funder of ECEC in Australia, agree to fund a wage increase for ECEC educators so we can safeguard the future of quality ECEC in Australia.”
To arrange an interview with ELAA Acting CEO, Megan O’Connell, please contact ELAA’s Communications and Marketing Specialist, James Gardener, at jgardener@elaa.org.au or 0413483182.
ENDS
ELAA is the national peak body for not-for-profit providers of early childhood education and care. Our vision is Excellence and Equity in Early Childhood Education and Care. www.elaa.org.au
