On 16-17 August the Fair Work Commission will hear a landmark case to authorise multi-employer negotiations involving 65 national employers and 12,000 workers in the early childhood education and care sector (ECEC).
The application was jointly lodged by the IEU along with the United Workers Union (UWU), which represents ECEC educators in NSW, and the Australian Education Union (AEU), which represents ECEC teachers in Victoria.
It would allow supported bargaining for an enterprise agreement with a block of long day care employers in NSW.
The Secure Work Better Jobs Act reforms, which started in June, make it easier for unions to bargain for enterprise agreements with groups of employers.
A group of over 20 ECEC employers in NSW has agreed to be part of the application. As it is supported bargaining, the funding body, which is the Federal Government in this case, will also be a party to the discussions.
IEU Secretary Mark Northam said the new legislation paved the way to address long-term inequity in the ECEC sector.
”The ECEC sector plays a crucial role in the education of our young citizens, and improved recognition of their value and professionalism is long overdue,” Northam said. “However, four-year university trained ECEC teachers in some long day care centres are only paid modern award rates.
“This means they could be earning $30,000 a year less than school teachers with the same qualifications.
“Unsurprisingly, there is a crippling workforce shortage in the ECEC sector, with employers unable to recruit and retain staff. The 60 employers participating in this application nationally (with the three unions) want to pursue an enterprise agreement under the new supported bargaining stream. This is a historic step in utilising the new provisions.
“We hope improved pay should flow from this supported bargaining process quite quickly, as well as conditions which provide better access to professional development, so teachers can more easily maintain their accreditation,” Northam said.