VITAL FIRST STEP TOWARDS UNIVERSAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – ORGANISATIONS WELCOME WAGE RISE
15 August 2024 – A coalition of more than 30 organisations including advocacy groups, unions and service providers has welcomed the government’s 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood educators as an important first step towards building a universal early learning and care system.
In a letter published in major metropolitan newspapers today, the coalition, led by Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign, stressed the importance of ensuring fairer wages and better recognition for Australia’s early learning workforce.
“Early childhood educators deserve to be compensated fairly for the vital work they do,” Minderoo Foundation’s Jay Weatherill said.
“Educators are the backbone of the early childhood education and care sector. They make early learning possible.
“Despite this, they have long been underpaid, undervalued and overworked.
“Educators have long advocated for fairer compensation, and they deserve this well-earned wage increase. The real beneficiaries will be the children and families of Australia who get the best start to life from a high-quality early education delivered by early educators whose value to our nation is truly recognised.
“As a coalition of organisations working across the early learning and related sectors, we strongly welcome this announcement.
“It is an important and vital step towards building a universal early childhood education and care system in Australia that is affordable and accessible to all families and children,” Mr Weatherill said.
The letter can be viewed here.
Signatories to the letter include:
Australian Education Union, United Workers Union, SNAICC, The Parenthood, Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education, By Five, Benevolent Society, Bourke and District Children’s Services Yanmali, Australian Multiple Births Association, Our Place, Child Australia, C&K – Childcare and Kindergarten, Centre for Women’s Economic Safety, Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association, Independent Education Union NSW & ACT Branch, Independent Education Union, Learning Links, LifeEd, Maternal Child Family and Health Nurses, NorthStar Impact Funds, Royal Far West, Restacking the Odds, Siblings Australia, Social Ventures Australia, The Front Project, Dads Group, ARACY, The Y Australia, Regional Australia Institute, Contact Inc, GrainGrowers, Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, Social Services Institute, Blair Keeble, John and Barbara Hopwood.
