By Emma Young
Four childcare centres across Western Australia, part of an embattled national provider facing legal action, have not opened Monday morning after workers reportedly walked out over unpaid wages and superannuation.
The United Workers Union estimates Genius Childcare owes hundreds of early educators across five states about $7 million in unpaid super.
Genius childcare.Credit: Joe Armao
No one was answering the phone for any of the WA centres in Hamilton Hill, Lakelands, Mandurah and Victoria Park that WAtoday contacted on Monday. Many of the company’s 39 centres across the country have closed recently after walk-outs.
Former employee Melissa, who only gave her first name, left a Perth centre last year over these issues, she told Radio 6PR host Simon Beaumont on Monday.
“It was stressful,” she said.
“They build these beautiful centres … and then they don’t pay on time.
“I wasn’t getting paid super and every fortnight we were getting paid late.
“I was being told by the director that not being paid super was common in the industry.”
“I feel for everyone involved, especially the kids … uprooted at such a crucial time in their lives.”
Ten days ago, the union added 54 more educators to a Federal Circuit Court action, bringing the total number of workers in the case to 57, seeking compensation for unpaid superannuation, late wage payments and financial penalties for breaches of the Fair Work Act, of up to $18 million against Genius Education Group and two subsidiaries, and almost $1.2 million against the company’s director.
WA has been one of the states hardest hit for workers in terms of lateness of pay, with some getting wages 13 days late and the next cycle not appearing on time either, the union said.
UWU national president Jo Schofield said already low-paid educators had struggled to feed their families with months of late pay.
“Then there has been the continual grinding uncertainty about whether centres are open or closed, as directors juggle whether unpaid staff will be coming to work and parents run for the door,” she said.
She said the union first contacted Genius Early Learning’s sole director and overall owner Darren Misquitta last May and Misquitta wrote to educators last June admitting to the issues, but the union now could not contact him.
It now looked likely educators would have to deal with the uncertainty of administration or liquidation, including possibly battling for what they were owed from the Fair Entitlements Guarantee fund.
She said given the behaviour of Genius throughout this period, members may find it difficult to assemble necessary records for a FEG application and the fund did not repay unpaid super.
“[This situation once again] raises the question of for-profit companies in the provision of essential early education and care,” Schofield said.
“This likely collapse adds to the case for universal access to publicly provided high-quality early childhood education and care.”
Genius was contacted for comment.
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