The Department of Education and Training is now involved in the bargaining process to facilitate meetings with employer representatives Municipal Association Victorian (MAV) and Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA) around workload and salaries.
Although some good progress has been made, MAV has dragged their heels in addressing our workload issues. ELAA has engaged with some of our workload claims, including time for educational leader and nominated supervisor. Employers have been particularly sympathetic to the issue of educator salaries.
Our objective is to achieve agreement outcomes that are largely identical across the two agreements, to ensure fairness and consistency across the early childhood profession. Our two key goals are:
- achieving salaries and conditions for teachers, educators and preschool field officers that values your important work
- attracting and retaining an additional 6,000 employees into our profession to deliver three-year-old kindergarten.
Despite the parties’ ongoing efforts, we remain concerned about the length of time it is taking to resolve critical issues of workload and salaries. The AEU recognises that early childhood teachers, educators and PSFOs have not had a pay increase since August 2018.
At our February sector council meeting, a resolution was passed by councillors to authorise AEU leadership to review the progress of these meetings leading up to 20 March. If sufficient progress is not being made, the AEU will apply to the Fair Work Commission for a protected action ballot order. This will enable us to pursue an industrial campaign in support of our claims.
The AEU will be holding a number of meetings for members and potential members during Term 1 and into early Term 2. We are asking our members to commit to inviting along at least one colleague to attend these meetings.
The AEU will also soon begin bargaining for new agreements at Goodstart, Moonee Valley City Council, City of Yarra and City of Casey.
All members are encouraged to participate in the democratic log of claims process. No doubt you have ideas for changes to your conditions that could
improve your working life – and we want to hear them. To get involved, please email [email protected]
