Childcare workers stage protest against pay rate

Press, 15 May 1987, Page 5

Childcare workers stage protest against pay rate

Twenty childcare workers picketed a Salisbury Street childcare centre yesterday in protest against an employer’s proposal to pay youth rates.

The proposal will be presented at award talks next week. A South Island childcare union spokeswoman, Ms Carolyn de Geus, said the proposed rates were $1 below the minimum adult wage of $5.25 set by the Government. Childcare workers were not prepared to subsidise parents by working for youth rates, she said. If parents could not afford increased rates, it was the

role of the Government to subsidise childcare centres. “Youth rates would undervalue and undermine a very important service,” said Ms de Geus. “Public reaction to the picket has been favourable. It seems people can relate the importance of wages and conditions to the quality of childcare.” The picket was held outside one of four childcare centres owned by Mrs Judith Howman, one of the assessors for the employers’ association at the award talks in Wellington. “The situation is difficult, and I am unsure of

an answer. We want something that people can afford and something that would protect the quality of childcare,” Mrs Howman said.

She said she would like to protect childcare centres in smaller towns that could not afford to pay higher rates.

A questionnaire had been sent to all childcare employers in New Zealand to ascertain their views on wage rates.

Mrs Howman said she did not pay youth rates, but some centres did because of the rise in the minimum wage.