Did you know that the teachers who educate and care for your children in Local Health District (LHD) centres are being undervalued by the current state arrangements?
LHD early childhood teachers are currently paid less than the minimum Modern Award rate that applies to all other early learning centres in NSW.
LHD teachers are paid up to $10,928 a year less than their colleagues in other centres across Australia, and up to a staggering $36,991 a year less than primary school teachers!
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has committed to funding a 10% pay increase for early childhood teachers for employers who agree to pay at least 10% above the Modern Award rates.
Instead of addressing this inequity, the NSW Government pay offer would allow the pay gap to widen by another $10,000 in December!
This is unacceptable; LHD teachers have had enough!
The skyrocketing cost of living is driving qualified teachers out of LHD centres to find better-paying jobs elsewhere. If this continues, the quality of early learning for your children will suffer as we lose dedicated, highly skilled teachers.
Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve better. The NSW Government must step up and stop undervaluing the essential work that early childhood teachers perform every day.
We demand action!
- Proper pay increases for LHD teachers to close the pay gap NOW!
- Fair increases to the Director’s Allowance and the implementation of an Educational Leader Allowance!
Here’s what you can do:
- Join us! If any of the teachers at your centre are not yet members of the IEU, encourage them to join the fight for fair pay.
- Sign the Petition! Ask parents, colleagues, and community members to stand with us and sign our petition. Show the NSW Government that they cannot continue to ignore LHD teachers!
Return your signed petitions to the IEU: lisa@ieu.asn.au
If you are an early childhood teacher and an IEU member, check out our Facebook group.