A demand for a pay rise has increased for early education workers across New South Wales under the Start Strong Pay Fair movement.
It resulted in a media report by the Independent Education Union of Australia, and highlighted how preschool staff have worn pink as a protest against the pay dispute in Fair Work Commission.
In a media report, Independent Education Union of Australia Branch Secretary Carol Matthews said without a pay rise, dire outcomes could occur.
“Many community preschools have been forced to raise fees for families,” Ms Matthews said.
“Without an increase in NSW government funding to lift pay and conditions, the staffing crisis will worsen and community preschools may have no option but to close entirely.”
University students have already felt the effects of the pay dispute.
New teacher and university student Harrison Phillips said he was impacted despite just starting his career.
“A lot of the pay stuff has been really important to me at least when it comes to helping pay my daily expenses,” Mr Phillips said.
“I’ve still got HECS, I still have to drive to uni, I can’t work every single day and so any sort of pay rise has been really good for me because it means I can actually afford a lot more things, especially when it comes to uni.”
According to the Independant Education Union Australia, a graduate teacher in primary education earns over $90,000, whilst a preschool teacher with five years’ experience will earn almost $5,000 less, just over $86,000.
“Although I am getting into casual teaching, the pay for the amount is probably slightly disproportionate,” Mr Phillips said.
“That isn’t to say they haven’t put in effort and they aren’t trying to become full-time teachers, so it is important that you still have that pay there.
“I think most teachers feel that they’re underpaid whereas the general public views them as being overpaid.”
A protest is set to occur on Wednesday, May 6, in Martin Place if the pay rise does not happen across NSW preschools.
