Parents on notice as childcare workers’ union plans March walkout

Parents have been put on notice to prepare for childcare workers in their thousands to walk off the job, amid a stalemate with the federal government over who’ll fund their next payrise.

Childcare workers in their thousands will walk off the job next month amid a stalemate with the federal government over who’ll fund their next pay rise.

Early childhood educators affiliated with United Workers Union will stage an “unprecedented” walkout on Friday March 8, shutting down more than 1000 childcare centres nationally, the majority of those in the eastern states.

Parents are being given four weeks’ notice of the need to find alternative care arrangements or stay home on the day, with the impacted centres to close their doors entirely.

Previous walkouts saw approximately 250 services close in NSW alone, although it is understood the exact locations and services impacted won’t be known until closer to the stop-work action.

The UWU, which represents a majority of unionised long daycare and out-of-school-hours (OOSH) workers, has voted for the move after the sector was granted approval by the Fair Work Commission to negotiate a multi-employer bargaining agreement.

Early childhood workers will walk out on Friday March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

Unions including the UWU, Australian Education Union and Independent Education Union want a 25 per cent increase to early educators’ wages, but have called on the federal government to cover the payrise rather than employers, who could then pass on the cost to families already struggling to make ends meet.

The UWU says the government still has not come to the negotiating table more than four months after the FWC decision, offering “no commitment” to a wage increase.

United Workers Union’s executive director for early education Helen Gibbons.

“In November last year educators put the government on notice: that they needed to commit to funding the new wage standard for the sector to keep centres open, or educators would be forced to take action,” UWU Early Education Director Helen Gibbons said.

“But the government as the primary funder of early learning still hasn’t given educators any certainty.”

Ms Gibbons described the walkout as a “hard choice” educators on “poverty wages” have been “forced to make”.

“This is a historic moment, with educators closing down centres at a scale this country has never seen,” she said.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese shows Bradley Gosper a picture of his dog, Toto, on his phone while visiting the Manuka Childcare Centre in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Early childhood educator of 11 years Renay Clack will be one of several co-workers joining the walkout, more than likely causing their Newcastle childcare centre to close.

“I don’t have enough money to put food on the table, never mind paying bills and other expenses,” she said.

Ms Clack said in her entire career, she’s never had more than a dollar in increased wages, and wants to see the sector “taken seriously” as qualified educators, not just nose-wipers and nappy-changers.

“Educators are leaving — we’re angry, we’re hurt, we’ve been disrespected for so long.”

“If we stop working, Australia stops working, and it’s time to make the government take notice.”

Those walking off the job will largely enjoy the support of their employers in what is a rare case among industrial relations disputes.

The Australian Childcare Alliance, the services’ peak body, has also called for a government-funded wage increase to address the workforce crisis without leaving parents out of pocket.

The union has chosen the date of their action to coincide with International Women’s Day to also highlight the gender imbalance in the sector.

Females account for 92 per cent of Australia’s 216,000 early childhood educators.

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