In an Australian first, and in line with new laws which come into effect today, educators are leading a Multi-Employer Bargaining push for a 25 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators.
The Australian Education Union Victorian Branch is joining the United Workers Union and the Independent Education Union today to apply to the Fair Work Commission to commence multi-employer bargaining for early childhood teachers and educators.
“Early childhood teachers and educators are some of the lowest paid workers in our community,” said Meredith Peace, AEU Victorian Branch President.
In recognition of the essential community work that early childhood teachers and educators provide, Peace said they’re seeking a 25 per cent pay increase.
About a month ago, it was announced that underpaid aged care workers would see a 15 per cent pay rise as the federal government committed $11.3 billion to the sector. This means that a personal care worker on a level 4 award will receive $141.10 added to their weekly pay.
According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, under the Children’s Services Award, an early childhood educator working commencing on employee level 4.1 and working full-time can currently expect to take home around $1108.30 weekly pay. This rate varies across levels, facilities and workplaces.
“For far too long, our economy has relied on the good will and dedication of underpaid and undervalued early childhood teachers and educators,” said Peace. “This is a workforce that must be supported and must be offered fairer wages and better conditions.”
“The passing of the Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation is critical to enable unions, employers and government to work constructively together ensuring that early childhood workers have better access to multi employer bargaining and are able to be a part of industry-based agreements that provide for better pay and conditions.”
In Victoria, the state government has put forward Best Start Best Life reforms to expand three and four-year-old kindergarten programs across the state over the next ten years. Peace said this growth will “result in a demand for more than 11,000 additional early childhood teachers and educators”.
This makes it all the more critical to attract and retain the early childhood workforce with fair wages and better working conditions, according to Peace.
“The AEU Victorian Branch has a long, proud history of enterprise bargaining, having secured the first multi-employer agreement in early childhood in 1998,” said Peace. “We remain committed to working hard to ensure that more early childhood teachers and educators benefit for the better wages and conditions arising from union-negotiated agreements.”