UWU reiterates commitment to wage increases in FWC Gender Undervaluation Review submission

The United Workers Union (UWU) has maintained its support for a wage increase, over and above that provided for by the Governments’ flagship “worker retention” payment, to correct for historic gender based undervaluation of workers in female dominated sectors such as early childhood education and care (ECEC). 

The union is one of many sector advocates asking the Fair Work Commission to value ECEC employees using similar methods to those applied in the Work Value Case that saw aged care workers given pay increases of up to 28.5 per cent.

Arguments put by such advocates cover sectors including ECEC, home care workers in Disability Support, workers in Pharmacies, health support workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

In the early childhood sector, the UWU argues the newly-awarded pay rate won by Certificate III aged care workers should serve as a benchmark for Certificate III educators, amounting to a 23 per cent pay increase.

While early educators have won a 15 per cent pay increase, the Federal Government has made it clear that addressing gender undervaluation is key to setting a new standard for wages in female-dominated industries over the longer term.

The union says the same factors that led the Fair Work Commission to rule that aged care sector employees were historically undervalued based on their gender should apply to workers in ECEC.

The case involves arguments that “invisible work” performed by early educators has never been captured or appropriately valued under the current Children’s Services Award.

“Predictably we are seeing major business groups argue that the Aged Care case cannot possibly be used as a benchmark,” United Workers Union Early Education Director Carolyn Smith said today.

“However the similarities between aged care and the early childhood sector are compelling and we believe the Fair Work Commission will take the practical approach it demonstrated in aged care.”

“I would challenge anyone to read an educator’s daily responsibilities and then argue they should be paid $27.17 an hour – or under $54,000 annually.”

In educators’ accounts sourced by the United Workers Union and included in their submission, workers gave details of their widely varied responsibilities, including:

– Giving children autonomy over their learning experiences.

– Ensuring learning happens within learning themes and the overall curriculum.

– De-escalating situations to prevent children being violent

– Dealing with children’s violence when it occurs.

– Properly storing and supplying breast milk.

– Cleaning vomit, faeces and urine.

– Completing daily hazard identification checklists across 22 separate criteria.

– Preparing breakfasts and feeding children in high chairs.

– Explaining to parents why their children haven’t eaten or slept well.

– Calling parents who have not signed in their children.

– Dealing with parents who disclose issues such as domestic violence.

– Dealing with angry parents.

“A judgment in favour of educators would mean – for the first time – they would receive pay rates that accurately reward their skills and professionalism,” Ms Smith added.