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Pachamama announces significant wage increase for leaders and educators
Freya Lucas
Jul 11, 2023
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West Australian multi-award winning approved provider Pachamama (with its two services Pachamama Early Education and Childcare and Pachamama Activity Centre) recently announced a significant increase to the remuneration offered to its full time diploma-qualified room managers and all other educators.
Room managers will receive 15.5 per cent above award, while all other educators (full time, part time or casual) will receive 10 per cent above award. In calculating the new wage rates, Pachamama will consider the award pay rate each educator is on before adding either 10 per cent or 15.5 per cent on top - over and above the annual award rate increases which were applied in the first week of July.This new remuneration program results in Pachamama’s full time and diploma qualified Room Managers receiving a total remuneration package over $80,000 per annum.
Importantly, Pachamama has not increased parent fees to fund the wage increase, choosing instead to fund them from within the business.
“The reasoning behind the difference in percentages is to reward those who are dedicated to further education and responsibility,” said Pachamama Founding Director Kristen McPhaill. “Our dedicated educators and other employees said that the additional remuneration would make a huge difference to their lives. They are deeply appreciative.”
“The new remuneration structure is aimed at rewarding the benefits that full-time employees bring to the organisation which includes greater stability of relationships with children and families, consistency in the application of policies and procedures, as well as less administration and staff turnover for our organisation.”
“We believe this method of significant above-award remuneration is fair and equitable across the board for all employees,” she continued.
“It places the choice back with each employee as to whether they want to aim towards full-time employment and the next level of professional development and responsibility to maximise their remuneration.”
Part of the reasoning behind the wage increase, Ms McPhaill continued, is the understanding and acknowledgement that “times are tough” for Pachamama employees, with the rising cost of living and inflation.
“Each of our employees are challenged with either significantly higher mortgage payments or higher weekly rental costs,” she said. “Some of our employees are building homes and paying both a mortgage and rent.”
“We did not want to wait any longer for the outcome of the industry bargaining process for our valued employees to enjoy a significant increase. We also didn’t want to tie any employee wage increase to potential funding from the federal government.”
To further support its educator team, Pachamama has purchased rental properties in the area of the services for the purpose of renting the homes back to staff. This has helped to address the rental crisis which has left some of the staff struggling to find appropriate local accommodation.
“The responses from our employees to the wage increase news ranged from initial shock and disbelief…to tears of joy and then expression of deep appreciation,” Ms McPhaill shared.
Both of Pachamama’s services are rated as Exceeding in all seven quality areas, and Ms McPhaill said that Pachamama does it's best to be a sector leader, “setting the standards of what quality early education looks like.”
Learn more about Pachamama here.
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