What great news !

After major wins for the Aged Care Sector, The Child Care Sector gets another turn with a 15% increase - 10% this year and 5% next year ! Now just watch as we see the LNP knock this down for our lowest paid workers !

I don't know about you, but I want my grandchildren looked after in child care centres that are adequately staffed by qualified and motivated people.

Labor’s $3.6b pre-election pay boost for childcare workers

Phillip CooreyPolitical editor

Aug 7, 2024 – 10.30pm

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The Albanese government will fund a 15 per cent, $3.6 billion pay rise for childcare workers over the next two years on the proviso their employers agree to limit fee increases until after the election, and accept longer-term, union-negotiated pay deals for their workers.

The move seeks to dampen cost-of-living concerns ahead of the next election as well as build a sizeable workforce in the sector, which is essential if Labor is to achieve its stated aspiration of delivering universal childcare.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Labor leader Chris Minns. The government argues subsiding childcare wages has an indirect productivity benefit. AAP

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who outlined that aspiration before the 2022 election, said the 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood education and care workers would be delivered as a 10 per cent pay increase starting in December, and another 5 per cent from December 2025.

To be eligible for the government-funded pay increase, childcare operators must agree to limit fee increases to no more than 4.4 per cent over the next 12 months, starting on Thursday.

With the election due by May next year, this guards against larger increases in childcare costs between now and polling day, and is in addition to the $5.4 billion boost in government-funded childcare subsidies that began last year.

“This is an important condition that will keep downward pressure on fees for families. Funding must be passed on in full to employees through increased wages,” Mr Albanese said.

The pay boost, which the government describes as an “interim retention payment”, coincides with a multi-employer bargaining claim before the Fair Work Commission.