ACTU calls for interim pay rise of at least 9% for ECEC and other feminised professions

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has called for an interim pay rise of ‘at least 9 per cent’ for workers in feminised sectors and industries such as early childhood education, education and health support services, veterinary care and disability home care, among others.

The call has come ahead of the Annual Wage Review, and would be “a critical step in achieving equal pay for workers in occupations that historically have been undervalued based on gender – including care and degree-qualified occupations.” 

The Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review decision will impact the pay of 2.9 million minimum and award wage workers.

The ACTU has based the nine per cent pay rise call on the five per cent increase the ACTU is advocating for across all awards, supplemented by at least an additional four per cent in key low-paid feminised sectors and industries.

In an early childhood context, if the nine per cent rise was accepted, an educator employed under the Children’s Services Award at level 3.1 would move from $26.18 per hour, or $994.84 per week to $28.54 per hour, or $1084.38 per week, an increase of $89.54 per week.

This year’s Annual Wage Review is working to address equal pay, in line with the Federal Government’s 2022 changes to the Fair Work Act to achieve gender equality.

“Achieving equal pay for women requires systemic change and targeted pay rises in industries traditionally dominated by women and historically very low-paid,” ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said. 

“A 9% pay increase will not only support families with cost-of-living pressures, it will also be a vital first step to properly valuing the work of working women doing critical work for our community, such as educating the next generation and caring for our loved ones.”