Childcare workers to receive $155-a-week pay rise to keep workers in sector

Childcare and out-of-school-hours workers will soon get a 15 per cent pay rise locked in from the end of 2024.

Laws will be introduced to federal parliament on Thursday that will give workers in the sector a $155-a-week increase to their pay cheque.

The wage rise will be dependent on childcare centres agreeing not to increase fees to parents by more than 4.4 per cent.

The laws will set up a fund to guarantee the pay rise will be passed on to childcare workers in coming years, regardless if there was a change of government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the wage increase would help ensure more workers stayed in the sector and attract new employees

“Australian families trust our early educators with the thing that is most precious — our young Australians,’‘ he said.

“Giving our kids the best start in life means giving them the best education and care.

“We’re making sure that childcare is good for children, good for families and good for the country.”

The pay rise will be phased in over the next two years, with a 10 per cent rise coming in from December under the changes, while the remaining five per cent will kick in from December 2025.

Early Childcare Minister Anne Aly said it would provide wage certainty in a highly feminised industry.

“We’re boosting the wages of early childhood education workers, while relieving cost of living pressures on Australian families,” she said.

“Properly valuing the early childhood education and care workforce is crucial to attracting and retaining workers and vital to achieving the quality universal early learning sector Australian families deserve.”