Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan is urging the Minns Labor Government to provide more support for community-based early childhood educators and teachers by following through with the Fair Work Commission’s recommendation to lift the pay and conditions of teachers and educators.
For more than six months, community preschools have been asking the government for pay parity with their colleagues who work in public preschools.
The Fair Work Commission made a recommendation on Monday to boost the wages of pre-school workers across the state and Mr Moylan said the Minns Labor Government now needs to act.
“There are more than 700 community preschools across NSW which deliver an important service to families, particularly in regional areas,” Mr Moylan said.
“In many cases, entry-level primary school teachers are earning up to 35 per cent more than experienced community preschool directors and educators in community-based preschools.
“That gap is widening, and this government has failed to fix it.
“This level of pay disparity makes it incredibly difficult for regional community preschools to attract and retain highly qualified staff. These are hard-working teachers and educators who deserve fair pay and proper respect.
“The NSW state government must take the Fair Work Commission’s recommendation seriously, properly recognise the vital role community preschools play in our children’s early education.
“I will continue to advocate for our community preschools, particularly across regional and rural communities like the Northern Tablelands, because they are absolutely crucial to our towns and families.”
Media Release: Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan
