Throughout Australia, at least 49,000 teachers and educators – and counting – have gained the first stage of a 15% pay rise under federal Labor government reforms following campaigns by unions.
In late January, an extra 20,100 early childhood educators gained the first stage of a 15% pay rise under the Albanese government’s wage justice for early educators’ reforms.
The Fair Work Commission heard applications on 24 January to add a further 20,100 early educators to the sector’s multi-employer agreement, enabling them to receive a 10% pay rise, with a further 5% to come in December 2025.
“This is the historic outcome of unions, the federal government and a group of employers working together to lift pay and conditions across the long day care sector,” said Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews.
More childcare centres have agreed to join the new multi-employer agreement so they can offer teachers and educators the long sought-after pay rises, which are funded by the federal government.
Almost 49,000 teachers and educators in the long day care sector will now receive the 10% pay rise, following the application heard in late January to rope in extra centres to the multi-employer agreement that was ratified in December 2024.
The groundswell of employer support for the agreement now includes a growing number of smaller childcare centres, alongside Australia’s six largest early education providers and covers teachers and educators in 1800 centres.
“This is how you get wages moving and respect the hard-working people in the childcare sector who for a decade under the previous Coalition government were ignored, taken for granted and shockingly underpaid,” said ACTU Secretary Sally McManus in a media statement.
“This pay deal through the Albanese government is about respecting these workers and respecting women.”
