From left, Dave Layzell, MP for Upper Hunter; Tracey Marsden; Vice President Muswellbrook Preschool Management
Committee; Leah Folpp IEU member and director of Merriwa Preschool; Kelly Constable, IEU member and director Muswellbrook Preschool; Raelee Smith, IEU member, Unite for Change ambassador and educational leader at Muswellbrook
Preschool.
Ambassadors for the IEU’s Unite for Change campaign for better pay for teachers in community-based preschools have taken their message to NSW politicians, advocating for IEU members.
Cronulla Preschool director Janene Rox spoke with Opposition Leader Mark Speakman at a “community cabinet” afternoon tea in Miranda on 18 November.
At the event, Janene also advocated for the campaign in conversations with other members of the shadow cabinet including Shadow Minister for Finance and Sport Eleni Petinos, Shadow Minister for Families, Communities, Disabilities and Youth Natasha McLaren-Jones, and Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Justin Clancy. Janene said they were all very receptive.
On 28 November, NSW Member for the Upper Hunter Dave Layzell visited Muswellbrook Preschool. IEU member Raelee Smith organised the visit to brief Layzell on the Unite for Change campaign.
Raelee is an educational leader at Muswellbrook Preschool. It was a successful visit, with Layzell promising to raise the matter in a meeting with Shadow Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.
The IEU’s Unite for Change campaign addresses the long-term undervaluing of teachers in the community preschool sector. Preschools are struggling to attract staff, especially in regional areas.
The union is seeking pay rises of 25% and filed a game-changing application with the Fair Work Commission in July, supported by Community Eearly Learning Australia (CELA).
Negotiations are under way with employers and the NSW government to fund pay rises that properly value the work of community preschool teachers.