I have a complicated relationship with International Women’s Day. I am ALL for putting the spotlight on the structural barriers, systemic discrimination and inequity that women face. But, if those subjects are of interest, just for show, for one day of the year? It leaves me underwhelmed.
To paraphrase Elvis, I’d like a little less conversation and a hell of a lot more action. Which is why I’m writing. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to put the focus on women – and there is one group of women I’d really like us to think about on the 8th March 2023. And, even better than thinking of these women I’m asking you to SHOW UP for these women.
These women are quite literally the reason hundreds and thousands of other women in Australia can ever SHOW UP. I’m talking about early childhood educators and teachers.
Now, let me be clear: in an ideal world this wouldn’t be an equation that is all about women. In an ideal world, early childhood education wouldn’t be the most gender-segregated workforce in the country. In an ideal world, access to early childhood education and care would impact parents equally.
But in the real world 96.6% of early educators are women and it remains the case that it’s the employment of mums that is disproportionately impacted when early learning isn’t available or affordable.
So for now this really is about women supporting women.
This International Women’s Day will you show up for early childhood educators? In less than two minutes you can click here and send a letter to your local member telling them that Early childhood educators need a pay rise! And they need it now.
Early educators are a critical cog in the wheel of our communities, as well as the education and development of children: them turning up to work is what enables so many essential workers like teachers and nurses and doctors and aged care workers and physios and retail workers – the list goes on and on – to turn up to work. The impact of their work – shaping the brains and supporting the development of children in the formative early years – is not just life changing, it’s nation building.
And yet?
This critical, invaluable cog is under threat. Early educators are leaving in droves. Right now at least 20% of early learning providers have a cap on enrolments because they cannot take any additional children.
There are an estimated 20,000 early education jobs vacant right now. Every unfilled educator role impacts between 6-12 families. At the moment 16.4% of long daycare services are operating with a waiver because they don’t have as many staff as they need.
Why is this happening?
Because early educators – who are skilled and do one of the most valuable, demanding, important jobs in the country – are among the lowest paid workers in Australia.
The award commences with a rate of pay for a qualified certificate III educator of $23.39 per hour and a centre director, role often degree-qualified, starts at $35.17 per hour.
The average median hourly rate in Australia is $41.
The average weekly take home pay for a full time educator is $1,059 a week. An entry level bricklayer earns $1550 a week.
It is the epitome of important valuable work being chronically undervalued and underpaid.
Educators are leaving because they cannot afford to stay. With the cost of living escalating, this is only getting worse. In September last year on a national day of action early educators asked to be paid a living wage.
That’s it! A living wage. A wage that means they can afford to cover the cost of living. It’s insulting that they have to ask. But they do.
So let’s use International Women’s Day to show up for early educators and add our voices to their very reasonable demand to be paid fairly for the work they do.
In just 2 minutes you can send a letter to your Federal member letting them know that how early childhood educators are paid is an issue you care about.