YEARS STRONG IN 2024
The newspaper of the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch (vol 44 #5) July 2024 PP 100000871 ISSN No: 0728-4845
UNITE FOR CHANGE IEU files revolutionary pay rise claim for preschool teachers
IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews addresses the media about the IEU’s pay rise claim for preschool teachers outside the Fair Work Commission in Sydney on Friday 5 July, surrounded by IEU members.
Preschool teacher and IEU Vice President Early Childhood Services Michelle Thompson talks to the media.
IEU members and officials gathered at the Fair Work Commission in Sydney on Friday 5 July to file an historic bargaining application to lift pay for teachers and educators in more than 100 community-based preschools across NSW. “A successful outcome would be a game changer,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews to the media. “Community preschools are crying out for teachers – their work has been undervalued for far too long and this must be fixed.” The not-for-profit community preschool sector is enduring an acute staffing shortage thanks to inadequate salaries. “The early learning sector has been in a dire situation for an extended time, and now we’re at breaking point,” said preschool teacher and IEU Vice President Early Childhood Services Michelle Thompson. “With fewer graduates entering early childhood education upon completion of their studies, coupled with low
rates of pay for teachers and educators, immediate change is needed for our sector to survive.” IEU member and teacher-director at Cronulla Preschool Janene Rox said the huge pay discrepancy between teachers in the early childhood sector and teachers in schools was at the heart of the problem. “It doesn’t make sense,” Rox said. “Paediatricians are not paid less because they specialise in supporting younger children, so why are we still differentiating between teachers? Four-year university-trained teachers can work in early childhood education or schools. “But the pay gap between preschool teachers and our primary school colleagues has reached ridiculous levels – experienced teachers in some preschools are copping a $30,000 pay cut compared to what they can earn doing the same job in a primary school,” Rox said.
Big increases essential “We need a 25% increase for beginning teachers and more for experienced teachers working in preschools,” Matthews said. “Preschool teachers in other states and territories have pay rates comparable to school teachers.” Yet currently in NSW: • Beginning preschool teachers: earn just $70,045 a year under the applicable modern award, while their colleagues in schools are paid $85,000 a year. • Experienced preschool teachers: under the modern award, the top rate for an experienced teacher is $90,134 a year. In comparison, a teacher with the same level of experience working in a NSW government school is paid $122,100 a year.
Preschool teacher and IEU member Jodie Cox talks to the media.
IEU member and Cronulla Preschool teacher-director Janene Rox talks to 9News reporter Hayley Francis.
Continued on page 7