While wage rise is welcomed for long day care, too many others are being left behind

While many in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector have welcomed the recent announcement that educators in Child Care Subsidy (CCS) services who have entered into a multi-enterprise bargaining agreement (MEB) with the Federal Government will enjoy a 15 per cent wage increase, some sector advocates are worried about who is being left behind. 

The announcement confirmed that educators working with employers outlined in Annexure A of this document will enjoy a 10 per cent wage boost later in 2024, followed by an additional five per cent in 2025, however services who are under the modern awards, including the Children’s Services Award 2010 and who are not part of the MEB will not benefit, and neither will those who are working in standalone kindergartens, as the federal government wage grant only applies to CCS-funded services.

Bridget Isichei from the Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance (NRPA), an organisation representing 42 preschools in Northern New South Wales, is concerned about the division this decision may cause, both amongst those working in CCS services who are not eligible, and also those who are working in other segments of the sector such as preschool based settings. 

“While we are all elated for our long day care colleagues, we’re concerned about the 800 state funded community preschools in NSW, and their counterparts across the country, who have been left out of this opportunity for recognition,” Ms Isichei said. 

Melinda Gambley, vice president of the NRPA and director at Clunes Community Preschool in NSW, noted that Kindergarten teachers in Victoria are now working under an agreement that provides wages and conditions that align with their counterparts in schools, but in NSW, educators and teachers have been left behind. 

“It’s getting harder and harder to staff our preschools,” Ms Gambley said. 

“We are losing so many teachers and educators due to lower wages than other education sectors and the regulatory demands of the job, and fewer educators are entering the sector. We’re competing with schools and the disability sector to attract and retain staff, and now with the increase in long day care wages, we will be competing with them too,” she continued.

“We urgently need the NSW government to fund wage increases to bring us into line with teachers in schools and our colleagues in Kindergartens in Victoria.”

Ms Isichei agreed, saying it is critical that the existing model of high quality education and care is protected. 

“With LDC now winning an increase, and with the added pressure of the 100 new Department of Education preschools (who it has been announced will be given pay parity to public school teachers) it has put our 800 community preschools in NSW at great risk of staff exodus,” she said.

“Community preschools in NSW urgently need funding from the NSW state government to be able to meet the same wages and retain staff.” 

Ms Isichei noted the 35 per cent gap between public school teachers in NSW and preschool teachers in NSW, despite them often having the same or similar qualifications,” warning that if the current high functioning NSW community preschool model is not also offered public school pay parity, the NSW government will “inadvertently create a class system” for the preschool workforce, putting the highly successful current preschools at risk of losing quality staff to the new department preschools, and “draining our experienced dedicated staff and leaving our organisations at risk.”

Learn more about the work of the Alliance here. For an overview of the recent wage announcement please see here.