The IEU welcomes today’s historic announcement that the federal Labor government will spend $3.6 billion to fund pay increases that will mean teachers in long day care centres throughout Australia will get a 15% pay rise, above the current rate in the Modern Award – with 10% in December 2024 and another 5% a year later. We also welcome the proposed 4.4% cap on fee increases for parents over the next 12 months.
The long day care sector provides quality early childhood education and care services to hundreds of thousands of children and parents all year round. Under the Modern Award, an experienced teacher in a long day care centre is currently paid $93,000 a year. The new top rate after the 15% increase will be over $107,000. For a highly feminised sector, this is a vital step towards closing the gender pay gap.
“Today we’re seeing the historic outcome of unions, the federal government and a group of 64 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.
Full media release below.