ACA and fellow ECEC stalkeholders take the workforce crisis conversation to Canberra

ACA and fellow ECEC stakeholders have taken the workforce crisis conversation to Canberra  ​

With the supported bargaining process for working conditions in the early learning sector now underway, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) has reached out to form working relationships with the some of the other parties participating in the negotiations process, all with the same goal of seeking a government-funded wage rise.

ACA has formed a working group with the Community Child Care Association (CCC), Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) and the United Workers Union (UWU) in order to find common policy ground and to talk to the Federal Government about the urgent need for the workforce shortages issue to be addressed.

This working group recently organised and attended meetings in Canberra on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 November, to talk with key Ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs). 

The key objectives of these meetings were to

• emphasise the urgency of the staffing crisis, the impact this is having on children, families and educators and the limiting effect on the government’s early learning policy priorities.
• advise on how the supported bargaining process can succeed as an efficient and effective mechanism to deliver professional pay for educators.
• advocate that a determining factor of the success for supported bargaining process will be the government’s willingness and capacity to fund it.
• advocate that this funding be included in the 2024 budget, if not earlier.

With families struggling to meet their day-to-day living expenses, it is clear that a successful outcome for the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector is contingent on the Federal Government properly funding any negotiated outcome. 

New data from ACA's latest survey of Early Childhood Education and Care providers showed half had been forced to cap enrolment numbers, withholding a total of 11,123 places from families within the week of 9-13 October. This data confirms once again that the sector's ongoing workforce crisis continues to deny Australian families childcare places.

ACA and the other members of the working group met separately with Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler, Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek, Regional Development, Territories and Local Government Minister Kristy McBain.

They also met with the following Members of Parliament (MPs) and key stakeholders -

Senator Karen Grogan, SA, Lisa Chesters, Member for Bendigo, VIC, Andrew Charlton, Member for Parramatta, NSW, Sally Sitou, Member for Reid, Tracey Roberts, Member for Pearce, WA, Josh Wilson, Member for Fremantle, WA, Senator Jess Walsh, VIC, Senator Tony Sheldon, NSW,  Anne Stanley, Member for Werriwa, NSW, Korena Flanagan, office of Minister Jason Clare, Maria Vamvakinou, Member for Calwell, VIC, Dr. Gordan Reid, Member for Robertson, NSW, Senator Linda White, VIC, Carina Garland, Member for Chisholm, Glen Granger & Isla Pawson, Treasurers Office, Dan Repacholi, Member for Hunter, along with representatives from the treasurers office and the PM’s office.

ACA and the other members of the working group continue to work hard to bring about a government-funded wage rise.

Their key objective is for the supported bargaining process to result in a successful outcome for Australia's early childhood educators, Australia's young families and the early learning sector as a whole. 

Ideally, the working group would like to see this positive outcome that implemented by 1st July 2024.