Child-care wage talks fold

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 4

Child-care wage talks fold

PA Wellington Award talks to establish wage rates in 39 child-care centres for the first time have broken down, said the Early Childhood Workers’ Union yesterday. Employers refused to continue talks after the union rejected an offer of rates taking effect in six months, said Ms Belinda Montgomery, national secretary of

the union. The offer was an insult to child-care workers who had no award wage rates and could be paid anything from $2 up, she said;

“We have had no increase for three years, and we are not going to agree to wait another six months. Childcare workers need recognition in wages now for their skilled and demanding job,” said Ms Montgomery. The union claims a bench-

mark wage of 90 per cent of a sixth-year kindergarten head teacher’s rate for a child-care supervisor with six years experience. The employer’s offer is for an 80 per cent benchmark in six months. The employers argue that they need six months to adjust fees and budgets in their centres. “The union is asking for a scale going from $4.50 for a first-year untrained worker to $7,88 for a supervisor

with eight years experience in child-care. These are not excessive wages considering that child-care workers take responsibility for the education and care of children during the first five years of their lives,” Ms Mongomery said. The union will hold meetings during the next few days to determine action. Employers had refused to take the dispute to arbitration, she said. _______