|
|
 |
|
|
| Home | Ask Neale | Calendar | Links |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
15,000 childcare workers demand payDate: 28 February 2005
A childcare pay equity case, lodged with the NSW Industrial Relations Commission on Friday afternoon, by the LHMU Child Care Union, will drag pay and conditions for the state's 15,000 childcare professionals out of the 1960s. " The union is trying to build a new classification structure based on the needs of a 21st century profession which could see pay increases of more than $100 a week," NSW LHMU Child Care Union President, Jim Lloyd said today. Childcare workers historically undervalued" Childcare workers - many with certificate and diploma training - have historically been undervalued.New union members" A growing number of industry professionals are joining the union to build the strength , density and power we need to win respect and win improvements in our conditions." It is unfortunate that we have not been able to win over the NSW employers to work in a partnership with our members, their employees, to deliver quality standards based on community expectations," Jim Lloyd said.
Key extra claimsApart from the new classification structure the LHMU Child Care Union is also arguing for:
- improved First Aid training; Experts and academics back union claimThe LHMU Child Care Union claim for pay equity before the NSW Industrial Commission is being supported by a range of key experts and academics.One witness, Professor Jennifer Sumsion, Co-ordinator of Research at the Institute of Early Childhood at Macquarie University, has told the Industrial Relations Commission that these union members play a significant role in modern Australia. Specialist skills needed" The need for their expertise and specialist skills cannot be overestimated," Dr Sumsion says in an affidavit to the Industrial Commission." The numerous decisions, judgements and choices that early childhood staff must make in their daily work have far reaching implications for children's development, learning and well-being. They are making important decisions and they are made in a context characterised by great complexity. These union workers: " must also demonstrate professional qualities that extend far beyond the qualities that uninformed commentators commonly assume and or assert are sufficient to provide adequate care for children," Dr Sumsion concludes in her affidavit. Volumes of evidence filedThe NSW LHMU Child Care Union filed volumes of evidence on Friday afternoon in the Industrial Relations Commission in an attempt to boost wages in a sector where workers are paid as low as $12 an hour." The new classification structure that union members argue should be introduced will at last fit the professional standards that the community expects these days. New classification structure to recognise qualifications" It will recognise qualifications that until now have been expected by employers but not paid for," the president of the NSW LHMU Child Care Union, Jim Lloyd said." Our union has recently won historic pay increases for this group of workers in Victoria and the ACT, and we're now moving forward in NSW to deliver pay equity for the growing number of unionised childcare workers in this state." The LHMU proudly represents around 130,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia
For further details:Jim Lloyd, LHMU Child Care Union NSW President tel: 8204 7246 or 0427 214 778 Professor Jennifer Sumsion, Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University 9850 9864
For further information
|
|
Privacy | Disclaimer | Sitemap |Feedback | Links |
|
© 1997-2002 LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW 10th Floor, 377-383 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9264 1691 Fax: (02) 9261 3505 http://www.labor.net.au/news/1109544581_9631.html Last Modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 18:35:30 EST
LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed |
   
|
